Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/790815
Pin and stretch of the right upper trapezius. The head/neck (cervicocranial) attachment is the attachment that is moved. For each position of the pin, the red Xs indicate the focus of the stretch. 1A 1B 1C that is moved, the focus of the stretch narrows to a smaller region of the muscle, and because the stretch force is concentrated over a smaller region, it becomes more powerful. Therefore, the entire reason for the pin and stretch technique is to focus a powerful stretch to a specific region of the target muscle. Location of the Pin The pin and stretch technique is often performed similar to how it is shown in Images 1A–1C, with the therapist starting the position of the pin far away from the attachment that is moved, often at or near the other attachment of the muscle, and then gradually and successively moving the position of the pin to be closer to the attachment that is moved. However, if we critically think through the underlying mechanism of this technique, we will see that not only is it not necessary to carry out the pin and stretch technique in this manner, it does not necessarily make sense. If the point of pin and stretch is to focus the stretch force on a specific taut region of a muscle, say a myofascial trigger point, then it would make sense that the most efficient method to employ this technique would be to place the pin directly next to the trigger point (or other taut tissue), on the "other side" of the trigger point that is "away" from the attachment that will be moved, then perform the stretch. Again, using the upper trapezius as our example, if the trigger point is located in the upper trapezius, as indicated in Image 2, then the best place to position the pin is as close to the trigger point as possible, but on the "other side"—in this case the scapuloclavicular side of the trigger point, as shown in the image. In this example, if the pin were to be placed anywhere between the trigger point and the cervicocranial attachment, it would be ineffective because the pin would block the stretch force from even making it to the trigger point. The farther the pin is positioned from the trigger point on the scapuloclavicular attachment side, the more diluted the stretch will be. So, when working X Pin and stretch to the right upper trapezius with the head/neck (cervicocranial) attachment moved. Given the location of the trigger point (indicated by the yellow X), the best location for the pin is shown. 2 C h e c k o u t A B M P 's l a t e s t n e w s a n d b l o g p o s t s . Av a i l a b l e a t w w w. a b m p . c o m . 53