Massage Therapy by Jack Stella

11/05/2025

Well, this just made my year!! LUMP IN THE THROAT!!

"Thank you, Marlboro! Antoinette DiNuzzo, Michael Milman, and Nick Stella had a SWEEPING victory in tonight’s election!

Huge congratulations on being elected.... Councilman Stella (wow had to read that twice)— What an incredible achievement and an inspiration to so many young people who want to make a difference. It’s amazing to see someone with so much passion, drive, and vision stepping up to lead and represent their community. I have no doubt you’re going to do great things and bring a fresh perspective to local government. The future is definitely bright with young leaders like you!"

10/25/2025

OLD SCHOOL TRAINING.
EVERYTHING IN ONE MACHINE!

10/25/2025

Wonderful day in the office the highlight of which was a big bag of fresh apples right off the tree from one of my clients.

After a Huff n Puff Trail hike, a deeper dive into some of the material I was discussing with a colleague. Always be growing professionally my friends.

From my files

NECK, SHOULDER, CHEST, ARM OR HAND PAIN?
PROTRACTED/ROUNDED SHOULDERS?
THORACIC OUTLET SYNDROME?
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PECTORALIS MINOR MUSCLE "THE KING OF COMPENSATION “
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[ANATOMY, FUNCTION AND PATHOLOGY]
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The pec minor attaches from the coracoid process of the scapula to ribs #3-5.
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It is a muscle that becomes easily shortened and tight due to many factors, including rounded shoulder posture, glenohumeral joint dysfunction, breathing dysfunction and a variety of compensation patterns. It sits on top of the brachial plexus and can therefore contribute to Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.
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The pec minor is located in an area of the shoulder with many other muscles, including the pec major, biceps, deltoids, coracobrachialis, subscapularis, serratus anterior and the latissimus dorsi.
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Clusters of muscles like this often can become dysfunctional due to poor biomechanics. This can lead to adhesions, facilitation/inhibition, and synergistic dominance. The pec minor is often the overactive muscle in these compensation patterns.
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Rounded shoulder posture and forward head posture will cause the pec minor to shorten. This action is called protraction and is opposed by the muscles of retraction.
These include the middle trapezius and the rhomboids. Commonly the pec minor becomes facilitated and the middle trapezius becomes inhibited. Release of the pec minor followed by strengthening of the middle trapezius can be very effective in these cases.
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Because the pec minor rounds the shoulder, it is opposed by the latissimus dorsi which moves the shoulder back and down. Again, release of the pec minor followed by strengthening of the latissimus dorsi can be very effective.
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The pec minor is a downward rotator of the scapula and oftentimes involved in glenohumeral dysfunction. If it is facilitated, it can inhibit the serratus anterior, which contributes to upward rotation of the scapula. This can lead to Impingement Syndrome and sometimes winging of the scapula. The resultant scapular instability greatly contributes to shoulder joint dysfunction.

10/23/2025

Pleasant dreams my friends. A thought, or two, from my reading.

"You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist." Friedrich Nietzsche

Sometimes letting go is simply allowing yourself to come to terms with the truth that you have been watering dead plants.

Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will. Believe in yourself
“Once you make the decision to move on, don’t look back. Your destiny will never be found in the rearview mirror.”

10/23/2025

Wonderful rewarding day with clients. Hit my weights and Huff n Puff Trail.

Shout out to a colleague for this information.

THORACIC SPINE
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[ANATOMY AND FUNCTION]
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The thoracic spine is the longest region of the spine, and by some measures it is also the most complex. Connecting with the cervical spine above and the lumbar spine below, the thoracic spine runs from the base of the neck down to the abdomen. It is the only spinal region attached to the rib cage.
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The thoracic spine has 12 vertebrae stacked on top of each other, labeled from T1 down to T12. These vertebrae form the foundation of the thoracic region’s sturdy spinal column that supports the neck above, the rib cage, soft tissues, flexible joints, blood vessels, and nerves.
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The thoracic spine is built from its anatomical structure to be mobile for rotation, flexion and extension! That's why it is very important to keep it mobile and even to visualize and feel the possible movement in the thoracic spine.
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Many people don't even know or just are not able to feel that there is a specific movement possible. But it has to be known because the thoracic spine must be used and must be moved! If people are unable to visualize and feel the movement of the thoracic spine, they will find another way to get that motion from somewhere else like lumbar spine, cervical spine or shoulder blades because our body is smart and very good in compensating. Those areas of compensation might lead to poor movement patterns, overuse and pain!
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An immobility or stiffness in the thoracic spine can lead to rounded shoulders, shoulder pain, elbow pain, wrist pain, neck pain, lower back pain and even hip pain. That's why it is very important to include mobilization exercises and stretching exercises in your daily training routine!

10/22/2025

Have a peaceful evening my friends.

10/21/2025

Took time between clients today to review some notes as they pertain clients I am working with.

In class we cover the body with what we call "Anatomical Individuality" to get a good understanding of the individual "parts".

We also cover the "relationships" of different anatomical structures with each other as they relate to movement patterns. No muscle is an island unto itself.

Here is a great example of that principle.

THE INTERACTION OF LATISSIMUS DORSI MUSCLE, TERES MAJOR MUSCLE AND PECTORALIS MAJOR MUSCLE
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ANATOMY and FUNCTION
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Did you know that latissimus dorsi, teres major and pectoralis major are actually connected!?
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On pic 1 you can see all 3 muscles which belong to the same fascial connection: THE SUPERFICIAL FRONT ARM LINE (SFAL).
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On pic 2 you can see exactly that latissimus dorsi and pectoralis major join in the medial intermuscular septum of the arm which is further connected to the forearm flexors and the palmaris longus including the carpal tunnel.
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If you suffer from neck or shoulder problems (Rounded shoulders) always make sure to treat these muscles in the right way!
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Latissimus dorsi, teres major and pectoralis major are medial rotators of the humerus, that means that if you overtrain these structures, it will force rounded shoulders!
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I am specifically mentioning this because of how many people you see in the gym doing Dead Lifts, Bench Press and Lat Pull-downs all training session long without doing any stretching or exercises to keep the shoulder girdle in balance!
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Even if you don't suffer from any problems or pain right now, but you train in the wrong way over a period of time you can train yourself into a misalignment which will lead to shoulder, cervical/thoracic spine problems, tension in upper traps or headaches!
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Especially for those who spend the majority of their day sitting, such as office workers or those who spend the majority of their day in a hunched position such as dentists, it is very important to train the right way. Being in a poor position and using these muscles will cause an adaptive shortening and tightness already!
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Nevertheless, it's important for therapists is to do a proper assessment and find out if a muscle is facilitated or inhibited and then to release or strengthen it to get the right balance!

10/19/2025

10/18/2025

10/18/2025

SHOHEI OHTANI IS NOT FROM THIS PLANET

10/18/2025

WISDOM

10/17/2025

Pleasant thoughts and dreams tonight my friends

THOUGHTS

There are times when we need to just take down the sails, dock the boat, and rest for a little while, knowing there'll be another day when the wind will fill our sails again and set a course for new
adventures and dreams to take us away.

When people tell you you’re not good enough you eventually believe it…until you are placed in an environment that sees you. Go where you are seen. Sit where you are heard. The rest will fall into place.

"Our human compassion binds us the one to the other - not in pity or patronizingly, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future." Nelson Mandela