LIFE+ Blog

In the first part I mentioned your rotator cuff, now let’s talk about the shoulder blade which plays a vital role of your shoulder health.

Unlike the hip, which is built for stability due to its bony attachments, the shoulder blades only bony attachment is via the collarbone. This is part of the reason that allows us to reach overhead, across our body, behind our backs, and why Aaron Rodgers couldn’t throw a football last year. It is important that the shoulder blade is able to rotate up the rib cage to allow us to put our hand over head. What keeps our shoulder blade in place primarily are the muscles that set our shoulder blade up against our rib cage. Below is a list of exercises that will help maintain controlled mobility of the shoulder. These exercises should be done as a preventative measure. If you are experiencing shoulder pain, consult your physician.

Lat Stretch

• Get down onto your knees in front of a low table, chair, or bed.
• Place your elbows onto the table with your elbows bent to 90 degrees and lean back as far as you can until you feel the stretch in your lats.
• Hold for 1 min and repeat for 2 sets.

Serratus Wall Slides

• Face a wall with your feet staggered place your elbows and forearms up against the wall so that your thumbs are pointing behind you.
• Spread your fingers apart as far as you can and maintain that position.
• Slide your arms up the wall as high as you can without letting your wrists move toward each other or your elbows flaring out.
• Repeat this for 10 repetitions and 3 sets.

W's

• Lying face-down with your elbows bent and hands near your shoulders, bring your arms up by squeezing your shoulder blades together.
• Do not let your shoulders ride up to your ears, by engaging the muscles between your shoulder blades.
• Hold for a few seconds and repeat 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

I's

• Lie on your stomach and hang your right shoulder off the edge of the table.
• Your right arm should be perpendicular to the ground with your palm facing inward.
• Start by pulling your shoulder blade to your spine and hold in that position. Then bring your hand up to the side of your hip and slowly return to starting position.
• Do not let your shoulder blade move away from your spine until your arm returns to starting position.
• Repeat 10 times and complete 3 sets. Perform this on both sides.

T's

• Lie on your stomach and hang your right shoulder off the edge of the table.
• Your right arm should be perpendicular to the ground with your palm facing inward.
• Start by pulling your shoulder blade to your spine and hold in that position. Then bring your hand up to your shoulder so that your arm is perpendicular to your body and slowly return to starting position.
• Do not let your shoulder blade move away from your spine until your arm returns to starting position.
• Repeat 10 times and complete 3 sets on both sides.

Y's

• Lie on your stomach and hang your right shoulder off the edge of the table.
• Your right arm should be perpendicular to the ground with your palm facing inward. Lift your arm overhead.
• Your arm should come up as if you were forming half of a “Y”.
• Slowly return to starting position and repeat 10 times. Complete 3 sets on both sides.