08 Sternal Decompression
This modality teaches the Sternal Decompression Technique, which releases the muscles attached to the sternum and anterior ribs. When these muscles enter spasm, they can restrict rib movement and create pressure across the chest.
Step 1
Understanding the Problem
The sternum is the central anchor of the anterior rib cage.
It is not a muscle, but it is directly influenced by multiple layers of tissue that attach to it, including:
• pectoralis major and minor
• intercostals
• pericardium
• diaphragm
• serratus anterior
• subscapularis (Heart 1 point)
When tension accumulates in these structures, the sternum becomes restricted in its natural movement.
Clients often experience:
• a feeling of pressure in the chest
• shallow or restricted breathing
• tightness across the anterior rib cage
• difficulty fully relaxing
This is not always perceived as pain.
It is often felt as compression or holding in the chest, can give the sense of overall weakness and can weaken the heart and pericardium over time.
Step 2
The Clinical Problem
Spasm of the muscles attached to the ribcage can distort the space around the heart and pinch its nerve supply.
A client reports pressure across the chest, shallow breathing, or tightness near the sternum.
In some cases the discomfort may mimic cardiac symptoms even though the heart is healthy, or these spasms by pinching the sympathetic nerves that pass to the heart from the upper thoracic spine become pinched and cause heart function problems.
The source often lies in the muscles attached to the sternum and ribs, which can restrict normal rib movement when they enter spasm.
This restriction can reduce chest expansion and alter breathing mechanics.
Release these muscles to decompress the chest and for a healthy heart.
Step 3
Why This Happens
The anterior chest is highly responsive to both:
• physical tension
• emotional and stress-related states
Muscles attaching to the sternum are constantly active in:
• breathing
• posture
• protective responses
When the system is under prolonged stress:
• breathing becomes shallow
• accessory muscles become overactive
• the rib cage loses its ability to expand fully
Over time, this leads to:
• reduced mobility between ribs
• increased tension across the sternum
• a loss of elasticity in the tissue
From a Releasology perspective:
this creates a disruption in conduction through the central thoracic region.
Instead of movement and expansion:
👉 the system holds and compresses
Prana, which should move freely through the chest, becomes restricted.
Step 4
Anatomy
The sternum consists of:
• manubrium (upper portion)
• body of the sternum
• xiphoid process (lower portion)
It serves as the attachment point for:
• ribs (via costal cartilage)
• pectoralis major
• pectoralis minor
• intercostal structures
• diaphragm (xiphoid process)
• rectus abdominus
• external oblique
• serratus anterior
This region lies directly anterior to:
• the heart
• the thymus gland
• major vascular structures
Movement of the sternum is subtle, but essential.
It must:
• lift and expand during inhalation
• settle and release during exhalation
When this movement is restricted, the entire thoracic system is affected.
Step 5
Palpation and Tissue Assessment
Palpation and Tissue Assessment
Palpation of the sternum requires:
• sensitivity
• precision
• controlled pressure
This is not a region for force.
Initial Contact
Place the fingers gently along the sternum.
Assess:
• using cross-fiber palpation, determine wether you can feel tight fibers within these muscles or not - ight fibers indicate that the muscle is in spasm.
• trace the fibers of these muscles from origin to insertion to determine which of its fibers are the tightest
• move the ribs, clavicle, humerus and sternum, by carefully rocking them back and forth to help determine where each of them may have limited movement - this helps you feel which muscles, and which parts of those muscles are the tightest.
Cross-Fiber Assessment
Use subtle cross-fiber movement across:
• ipectoralis major - upper, middle and lower portions from sternum, ribs and clavicle to bicipital groove of humerus
• pectoralis minor - find the coracoid process, find this muscle attached to it. follow it to the 3rd, 4th and 5th ribs.
Feel for:
• scapula and rib resistance to movement
• ltight fibers - spasm - determine how tight you think it is - 0 to 10
• is the scapula lifted up toward the chest, or is it relaxed and hanging back behind the ribs where it should be
Tissue Quality
Restricted tissue may feel:
• spasm - when your subject is trying to relax, does it stay contracted
• tone - when relaxed does it keep a good shape or go totally slack
• does your subject seem to be tensing, when they say they are relaxing?
Healthy tissue will feel:
• liquid
• responsive
• able to move under contact
Functional Observation
Observe the client’s breathing:
• do they breath downward (correctly) toward their abdomen? The diaphragm needs to pull air down from the nose and or mouth to the lungs. The abdomen should expand when they inhale, not when they exhale. If it expands while they exhale, this is "backwards breathing" and they will have trouble relaxiing their muscles. Try to coach them to inhale downward into their abdomen and to expand they should let the sides of their ribs lift duriing inhalation. When they exhale, the abdomen should pull in to expell all of the air from the lungs, allowing the diaphragm to lift back up into its normal dome shape.
Step 6
Neurological Consequences
The sternum sits at the center of the body’s protective and regulatory systems.
When this region is restricted, the effects are not limited to structure.
They influence:
• breathing patterns
• autonomic nervous system activity
• perception of safety and relaxation
Breathing and Nervous System
Restricted movement of the sternum contributes to:
• shallow breathing
• reduced diaphragmatic function
• increased reliance on accessory muscles
This can maintain the body in a state of:
👉 mild, persistent activation
Heart and Thymus Region
This area lies directly over:
• the heart
• the thymus gland
While not directly manipulated, restriction in this region can influence:
• the felt sense of pressure or openness in the chest
• the body’s ability to relax and settle
Releasology Perspective
From a Releasology perspective, this region is a central pathway for:
• force transmission
• breath-driven movement
• Prana flow
When restricted:
• conduction is limited
• the system feels closed
• the body remains guarded
When released:
• breathing deepens
• tension reduces
• the system begins to settle
Step 7
Technique Demonstration
Watch the following technique demonstration carefully.
Your goal is to observe how the practitioner works with precision and sensitivity in a highly responsive region.
Watch the demonstration at least twice before attempting the technique.
First Viewing — Understand the Flow
Focus on:
• where contact is made along the sternum
• how the practitioner positions their body
• the pacing of the work
• how pressure is introduced gradually
Do not focus on detail yet.
Understand the rhythm of the session.
Second Viewing — Focus on Mechanics
Now observe more closely:
• hand placement — centered, stable, and controlled
• direction of pressure — gentle and specific, not forceful
• how the practitioner remains relaxed and grounded
• how pressure is delivered through structure, not effort
Observe the Release
Watch for:
• subtle changes in tissue response
• softening under sustained contact
• increased movement with breathing
The practitioner does not push.
They wait and allow the system to respond.
What to Look For
As you watch:
• where does the tissue resist?
• how does the practitioner refine their contact?
• when does the tissue begin to yield?
This is a technique of:
precision, patience, and sensitivity.
Step 8
Worksheet Exercise
Download the worksheet below.
Using a red drawing tool on your phone or tablet:
-
on a separate pdf worksheet for each muscle, draw each muscle: Pectoralis major, pectoralis minor, diaphragm, serratus anterior and subclavius
-
label the ribs, sternum, coracoid process and humerus on the first one. No need to do it on all of them
-
provide the origin, insertion, movement and innervation for each muscle by filling them in on the worksheet
-
approximately draw where the thymus gland should be. Use a green circle. The heart Chakra is usually depicted as green
Save the image to your device.
Upload the completed worksheet in the next step.
Mastery of anatomy is required for precise clinical work.
Step 9
Practice Assignment
Clinical Skill Development
Perform the sternal decompression technique on a practice client.
Preparation
Before beginning:
• review the demonstration
• understand where your hands will be placed
• be clear that this technique is not force-based
Client Setup
• client lies comfortably (supine)
• chest relaxed
• breathing natural
Explain:
• pressure will be gentle
• they should breathe normally
Execution
• place hands along the sternum with controlled contact
• apply slow, steady pressure
• follow a natural cycle of cross-fiber palpation, stretch, yang-compression, yin-release
Be sure to use a strong stance that utilizes power in your legs and core to support your arms and hands. Keep your own shoulders relaxed, elbows close to your sides, and repeat the cycle of palpation-yang-yin-palpation-yang-yin until each of these muscles is released.
👉 allow the tissue to respond
What to Feel For
• release of tissue as you work
• increased chest movement
• deeper breathing
Practice Standard
You must demonstrate:
• controlled, focused yang-phase pressure
• release of muscle triggered by yin phase
• body mechanics
• hand position
Step 10:
Record Your Treatment
Record yourself performing this modality
Record yourself performing this modality.
Ensure:
• good lighting
• chest muscles are visible
• video flows from beginning to end showing each muscle release technique
Your video should show:
• clear view of hand placement
• visible body mechanics
• you feel some release with each muscle before moving on
Upload your video.
Step 11
Client Testimonial
Ask your practice subject to rate their symptoms before and after the treatment using a 0–10 scale.
Record a brief testimonial video including::
☑ symptom description
☑ before score
☑ after score
☑ changes they experienced
Upload the testimonial video.
Documenting real clinical outcomes is an essential part of Releasology training.
Your content has been submitted
Step 12
Knowledge Check & Module Completion
At this point in the program, you should be able to answer the following:
-
What is the role of the sternum in thoracic movement?
-
How does restriction affect breathing?
-
What does restricted tissue feel like in this region?
-
What indicates that a release has occurred?
Submission Checklist
• Worksheet (Step 8)
• Technique Video (Step 10)
• Client Testimonial (Step 11)
Completion Standard
You should be able to:
• locate the muscles that can cause sternal compression
• release the muscles that cause sternal compression
• understand where someone might have discomfort based on which of these muscles might be tight
• create a feeling of decompression in the heart and sternum area
Take the Quiz:
1. This technique set primarily affects:
A. Spine
B. Sternum and anterior rib cage
C. Hip
D. Knee
2. Dysfunction in this area can cause:
A. Back-only pain
B. Chest tightness and restricted breathing
C. Foot swelling
D. Wrist pain
3. When spasm of these muscles causes distortion of the sternum and ribcage, which organ is most vulnerable?:
A. Appenidix
B. Gall Bladder
C. Thyroid Gland
D. Heart
4. A key symptom is:
A. Difficulty taking a full breath
B. Knee instability
C. Elbow pain
D. Jaw tension
5. Release restores:
A. Muscle size
B. Chest expansion and breathing capacity
C. Bone density
D. Ligament elasticity