Winged Scapula

[Guest orangewater]

Hello all

I am unable to fully extend my shoulders (above my head). I did some research on this and am pretty sure that it is due to a winged scapula. My shoulder blades protrude when I push against an object.

This affects many, if not all, of the gymnastics skills which I attempt. I cannot perform a proper handstand (with a hollow body) because my upper body is always arched.

What sort of exercises can I perform to reverse this condition? (It should be due to a weak serratus anterior muscle)

Thanks in advance.

[Scott Malin]

There's no pain of any kind that's associated with this is there? With a weak serratus anterior there's often more going on with your shoulder girdle so try all these for some overall stability:

Floor/Bench/Physioball (preferred) T, Y, L, W

T

-lie on the ball with a flat back and chest up

-pull the shoulder blades in the direction of the spine and extend your arms to your side to 90 degrees, making a T with your torso. Thumbs are up during this.

Y

-lie on the ball with a flat back and chest up

-move your shoulder blades back and down while lifting your arms to make a Y. Abs end up in the middle of the ball and thumbs are up during this. Start adding a pound or two of weight once this is easy.

L

-lie on the ball with a flat back and chest up

-from a hang, bring your elbows to a 90 degree flexion and squeeze your shoulder blades to bring your arm 90 degrees to your torso. Rotate your forearms towards the ceiling while keeping the lower arm in the same position. This'll look like going from a pair of L's perpendicular to your body to a pair of L's parallel to your body.

W

-lie on the ball with a flat back and chest up

-squeeze in your elbows, rotate your thumbs to the ceiling, and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Rotate your hands back as much as you can wile keeping your elbows in. This looks like a small w formed with the shoulder blades and larger one formed with the arms.

Just visualize the letter you're attempting to make and those are pretty simple.

[Nic Scheelings]

I also find a push up plus (pushing through your shoulder blades at the end of a pushup and one armed pushups are great for fixing a winged scapula. With one arm pushups start elevated on a bench or smith machine and get someone to watch your scapula and make sure it stays on your rib cage. As you get stronger get closer to the floor until u can do them on the floor with a fixed scapula position.

This should help along with coreathletes advice which is solid!

[hairConditioning]

you have to train the antagonists and the synergist (is it the right word in english?) too.

the whole "cuff" have to get stronger not only one muscle (one part in the chain) because this could leading in muscular dysbalance and your problem is not fixed with it!

train the rhomboideen (scapula adductors) and your trapez (all 3 compnents of it!)! but you have to fix your "humpback" too, i think your thoracic spine is not full extended? a good erect spine is the pre-condition for a good scapula-spine-connection!

ok, my english is bad, haha, really bad, but sorry for that :shock:

if you need some exercises just give me a shout :!: