Though real antennae don't work like this, the picture evokes a truth about the connective tissue running across our chest from hand to hand. Any segment that's tight pulls on the rest.
The tightest segment is often across the chest from bicep to bicep, where common activities require us to contract. While this tight segment may seem painless (until you press into it), it's pulling on wrists, hands, and thumbs.
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This means hand, wrist, and thumb pain can actually be caused by tightness across the arms and chest. (It can also come from how we use our phones and iPads--a topic for another day.)
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And that's not all the trouble this tight area can cause. Do you see the forward curve of this woman's upper back? That same tightness has pulled her shoulders forward, bringing her upper spine along for the ride. Now her mid-back, at the level of her elbows, has to bend extra far backwards to compensate, causing pain below the shoulder blades.
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When tightness across the arms and chest is the culprit, the bug-antenna principle points the way to relief. Stretch your arms out for 5-10 minutes. Tingling in your hands, arms, or armpits is a good sign as long as it's not sharp or shooting. For extra stretch, place a small rolled towel along your spine between the shoulder blades. Or use a bolster as in the picture (not so big that it hurts).
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I am now teaching yoga on Fridays from 1:30-2:30pm. The class uses chairs and other props for support and is specially designed for people working with stiffness or movement restrictions. We meet right around the corner from my office, at The Lotus Studio, 6601 Grand Teton Plaza (new studio, outdoor sign not up yet).
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Drop me a line or call if you have any questions. I'm always happy to hear from you.
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