Did you reach for something and suddenly feel a sharp spasm in the lower part of your back, slightly to the side of the spine? At the bottom of the ribs, and when you breathe in really deep you can feel it?
You might be dealing with the Serratus Posterior Inferior muscle.
Serratus Posterior Inferior Pain
The serratus posterior inferior usually creates a localized pain pattern. It doesn’t generally refer pain around the ribs or down the back.
Since this muscle is an accessory respiratory muscle (it assists with end stage exhalation of the lower ribs when breathing), repetitive patterns that involve rib movement which breathing may be a trigger for spasm or cramp.
Early in my career I would refer to this as the “swimmer cramp” muscle because it appeared common to swimmers.
Due to its location on the lower ribs, serratus posterior inferior pain can be particularly uncomfortable and finding a position of relief is often challenging.
If you suspect a possible serratus posterior tear (likely due to direct trauma), then be sure to get checked out by your doctor before attempting to do anything with this muscle.
Now that you see where this posterior inferior serratus is located, let’s take a look at a simple positional release technique over a swiss ball.
This muscle is difficult to access because of its location. It is influenced by rib movement, so in order to get it to relax, you’ll have to position your body specifically, then use breathing to move the lower ribs and relieve serratus posterior pain.
The swiss ball side bend works great for the positioning. As shown in the video, you will need to turn your upper body slightly forward to get the stretch into the lower ribs. Breathe deeply to affect the Serratus Posterior Inferior. I often times find this stretch to help, but during acute spasm of the muscle, hands-on massage techniques are necessary to get a full release.
Serratus Posterior Inferior Muscle Massage Therapy
This muscle is quite thin, and trying to self-massage it with a foam roller or tennis ball can be too painful. So, one of the best ways to address tension in the serratus posterior inferior muscle is via massage therapy.
Here is a demonstration:
