LEAVE THE WINGS FOR THE SUPER BOWL

Not for the shoulder blade! 

Scapular winging. Sometimes that blade is nailed down to the back of your ribs contributing to limitations in movement of the shoulder girdle and for others it wings out like a kickstand making sitting against a hard backed chair super uncomfortable.

The shoulder blade is an important flat bone that sits flush to the ribs. It serves as anchors to all 4 of the rotator cuff muscles. It creates an extra shield over the ribs to protect the lungs. It functions to help stabilize the shoulder and it helps to orchestrate the rhythm at which the arm is able to move efficiently. 

For many, this blade goes unnoticed but for some, it can really be bothersome. 

Scapular winging is when the shoulder blade sticks out from the back and resembles a chicken wing. In many (more rare) cases it can be caused by a trauma to the nerve(s) that are responsible for shoulder mechanics. Postures such as holding yourself in a plank, performing a push up or any static weight bearing positions with your arms directly in front of you can cause the shoulder blade to wing, if there is weakness. There are 4 major muscles responsible for anchoring the scapula to prevent winging:  serratus anterior, trapezius and rhomboid major and minor. 

If a neurological trauma is ruled out and you notice that your shoulder blade “isn’t sitting right” accompanied by the feeling that you can’t move your arm with efficiency in full range of motion OR you have a slumpy forward head and rounded shoulder posture, you might want to begin doing some scapular retraction strengthening. Childhood scoliosis can also create a structural position that can cause winging that is not related to muscle or nerve but of skeletal compensation over time.

Here is a demonstration of doing a banded pull apart with an emphasis on “making your shoulder blades kiss”. By keeping the shoulder blades down and towards each other, while pulling the band apart, you are creating an isometric tension in the muscles called the rhomboids. This will help you notice the importance of your back body reinforcing a proper trunk and head posture. 

My suggestion is to do this exercise until you fatigue. If you begin to fall out of posture, reset yourself and do it again. 

Comment below if you have posture issues that you can contribute to weakness in your upper back.