Shoulder pain and dysfunction can often be traced back to weak or disjointed movements at the scapula level. To address this problem, Scapula Stabilizing Exercises for stabilizing the scapula may provide relief.
Start out performing these scapular stabilizing exercises without weight in your hands, to familiarize yourself with their movements. Over time, gradually increase the load in each hand until you are holding weighted items.
Push Ups
Pushups are commonly included as part of rehabilitation programs for shoulder injuries and pathologies in order to restore scapular control for safe and efficient movements. Although this exercise and its variants are widely practiced, few studies have explored how the base support affects muscle activity and scapular kinematics during humeral movement. Previous studies have demonstrated a greater upper trapezius-serratus anterior ratio in closed chain exercises versus open chain exercises, higher serratus anterior activation during push up plus exercises with unstable bases of support compared with standard push ups with stable bases, and that different shoulder elevation conditions lead to different scapular kinematic patterns during the push up.
Pectoralis major is the primary muscle responsible for moving the scapula during a push up, lengthening as bodyweight decreases before contracting and shortening as shoulders come back up again. Other muscles known as synergists assist this motion and help stabilize scapula by stabilizing movement – such as the triceps, posterior and rhomboids as well as core muscles (mainly rectus abdominus and transversus abdominis).
Physical therapists use push up variants to treat injuries and pathologies such as poor posture and shoulder instability. A common pathology is winged scapula, in which the scapula protrudes outward like wings due to weakness of its stabilizer muscles; physical therapy exercises, including scapular push ups, can correct this by teaching patients to roll their shoulders forward during exercise sessions in order to prevent protrusion of the scapula.
Start in the same position as when doing standard push ups: arms shoulder-width apart on the floor or plank position with forearms resting on a bench, keeping core tight, inhale as you lower yourself until your chest touches either the floor or stability ball – exhale to press yourself back up again, repeat for 10 repetitions; this exercise can be performed at home or gym! Scapular push-ups provide a simple exercise option which can easily be performed daily!
Shoulder Presses
One of the most frequently done weight training exercises, shoulder presses are among the most widely performed weight exercises, whether done free-weight (barbell or dumbbell) or with machines at the gym. When performed properly, shoulder presses provide an effective strength-building exercise for your deltoids as well as teaching you to keep your shoulder blades lowered and together during movement.
If your scapula is unstable during overhead movements, you put extra stress on other joints in your upper body like elbows and wrists. Your scapular muscles serve as the gateway for movement in both shoulders and upper body; for that reason it is crucial that they develop into strong, resilient muscle groups.
The scapula is attached to your humerus and clavicle bones which, in turn, are connected to your ribcage via ligaments and muscles. It moves in all directions for upper body movement as well as sports-related activities; its most prevalent problem with shoulder movement is scapular instability caused by poor movement patterns or weakness of stabilizer muscles in this region of the shoulder joint.
Unstable scapula can become disalign with other joints during overhead movements, leading to shoulder joint pain and cartilage injury in your shoulder joints and surrounding tissues. This issue typically results from weak or dysfunctional scapular stabilizing muscles.
Start off your scapular stabilization exercises right with “scapula setting,” an exercise performed using either barbells or dumbbells in a standing position. Hold out your arms in front of you while slowly lifting the weight overhead and away from you until your deltoids feel contracted as the barbell is moved across your body – lock your elbows at the top but avoid locking them as this puts too much tension onto triceps which isn’t the target muscle for this exercise!
Once you feel confident with this movement, you can progress to more difficult scapular stabilization exercises. But remember to always begin each exercise with a scapular squeeze to activate your lower trapezius muscles; they serve as anchors of your shoulder blade that help place it into its proper starting position.
Tricep Dips
Tricep dips are an easy yet effective bodyweight exercise you can perform almost anywhere at any time, targeting not only triceps but also chest and shoulder muscles for full-body strength training. Furthermore, they improve shoulder stability which is critical in order to avoid injuries as well as perform other push motion exercises like bench presses more safely and efficiently.
To perform a basic triceps dip, sit on an edge of a bench or elevated surface with your legs extended behind you and grip either the edge of a chair or bar at the bottom of a pull-up and dip station. Regress by placing both feet on the ground to reduce how much weight is lifted by your upper body; progress as you gain strength by having both feet off the ground, then advance by spreading out or bending hands farther apart to increase tension on triceps muscles.
At first, start off with your core tight and your back straight. From there, slowly lower yourself until your elbows are bent at an approximate 90-degree angle before using your triceps to press yourself back up into starting position. Make sure to pause at the bottom of each movement to ensure it’s controlled before pushing yourself back up again.
Triceps dips are an invaluable addition to any upper-body workout, and should be performed alongside exercises like the biceps curl and dumbbell presses for maximum effect. Low repetitions may build strength while higher reps stimulate muscle growth; they’re suitable for all fitness levels (from beginner to expert) with proper form being maintained at all times; you could even use this exercise instead of bench presses or on the floor as push-ups provided proper form is maintained; they make an ideal inclusion in beginner’s programs as it will develop strength that will prepare them to progress to more advanced moves like bench presses and squats later on!
Shoulder Extensions
No matter the activity at hand – from playing racquet sports to simply placing luggage into an overhead compartment on an airplane – the shoulder is an intricate joint which requires coordination among 17 muscles. Without strong scapular stabilization muscles, however, shoulder movement may occur incorrectly, leading to overuse injuries such as tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis), golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis) or DeQuervain’s Tendonitis (in which the thumb tendon shears off from its base).
Pushups, presses and dips aren’t the only strength-training exercises for shoulders; there are also various scapula stabilizer exercise variations you can perform using an exercise band, weighted dumbbells or just your body weight – one example being the prone “I” exercise that you can perform whether standing or lying down; it targets lower trapezius muscle to prevent “winging” of the scapula as a sign of unstable shoulders.
For the Prone I” Exercise, simply stand in front of a wall with your palms flat against it at shoulder height and press your scapulae against it firmly until one side protrudes more than the other – this phenomenon is known as scapular asymmetry and failure to correctly protrude scapula can lead to shoulder pain and injury, including rotator cuff tears.
Scapular instability has been linked with 68% of rotator cuff problems and 100% of shoulder joint instability issues; it should also be remembered that its effects can be felt even among those without prior shoulder issues, making scapular stabilizing exercises essential in every workout regime – regardless of fitness levels.
Resistance training programs that include scapular stabilizing exercises will not only increase shoulder mobility and function, but will also help prevent and treat injuries to the shoulder. Studies have demonstrated that poor scapular control and movement contributes to shoulder dysfunction and pain, so including these exercises will increase your arm movement in a way that’s most efficient for the body and shoulder.
