The Best Scapular Muscle Exercises to Prevent & Treat Shoulder Pain
July 17 2010
There are number of exercises to optimize scapular muscles to prevent and treat shoulder pain. But which are the best scapular muscle exercises?
What are scapular muscles?
Scapular muscles are muscles that connect to the scapula and give both stability and mobility to the scapula, which is unique among other joints . The major scapular muscles are shown in the below picture.
Why scapular muscles are important in shoulder pain?
Scapulothoracic Rythm: The scapula has to move in a well-coordinated manner as shown to bring about arm movements. Any change in the function of scapula muscles can affect the normal functioning of the shoulders.
Correlation: Very recently, number of studies have shown abnormalities in scapular position and motion to be correlated with shoulder pain caused by impingement symptoms, rotator cuff dysfunction, and instability.
Shoulder Rehab protocols: All shoulder rehab protocols now emphasize the importance of scapular muscle training as a component of shoulder rehabilitation.
Which scapular muscles are important ?
Most researchers attribute scapular dysfunction to scapular muscular imbalance rather than absolute strength deficits of the scapular muscles.
In particular,excess activation of the upper trapezius (UT), combined with lower activation of the lower trapezius (LT) and the serratus anterior (SA), has been proposed as contributing to abnormal scapular motion (muscles shown in pic).
Hence the best scapular exercises are those which have high activity of LT & MT and low activity of LT.
So which are the best scapular muscle exercises?
- The study looked at 12 different trapezius strengthening exercises and they found the below exercises to have the highest activity of LT & MT and lowest activity of UT.
- None of the exercises met the criteria for optimal intermuscular balance restoration of serratus anterior (SA) and LT. Push up and push with aplus are normally prescibed exercises for SA.
- The results of this study suggest that the exercises:
A, B, and C are optimal for restoration of UT/LT muscle imbalances.
A, B, and D are optimal for restoration of UT/MT muscle imbalances.
If you have any questions about these scapular exercises, just ask in the comment section.
Reference 1
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Anoop | Thu September 01, 2011 
Hi Matt,
If you are in chronic pain, please read this article: http://www.exercisebiology.com/index.php/site/articles/a_revolution_in_the_understanding_of_pain_and_treatment_of_pain/
| Tue September 06, 2011 
Hi Anoop:
I have been treating for scapular pain with PT, massage and chiropractic for nearly a year and am told that my problem is that my muscles are just too tight…both between my shoulder blades and across my chest. My PT does very few weight bearing exercises…but I am wondering whether these might be helpful to me? Would love to know your thoughts. Also, for those of us who aren’t exercise biologists, it would be great to include written descriptions of each exercise. For example: In Exercise B, is the idea to raise the arm from a 90 degree angle from ones waist and then fully extend the arm straight in line with the shoulder, or should the movement be smaller.
Again, very helpful
Anoop | Tue September 06, 2011
Hi Suzanne,
Thanks for the comment and sorry that I haven’t been clear. I just assume too much.
About exercise B here is a video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjDR4bOq9Mk
And these exercise will definitely help. And please also read this article about pain: http://www.exercisebiology.com/index.php/site/articles/a_revolution_in_the_understanding_of_pain_and_treatment_of_pain/
Hope it helps!
| Tue September 06, 2011 
Excellent. Thank you Anoop. I’ve had a client doing rehab with 3 of these exercises (altho D was done standing using theraband.) I like A. Haven’t seen that one before!
| Thu November 24, 2011 
I think you made a mistake with “Hence the best scapular exercises are those which have high activity of LT & MT and low activity of LT.”
Please double check if its, LOW activity of UT (upper trap).
| Wed December 21, 2011 
Hi Is there help for me?Im not in pain,just upset everytime I see my bad posture,(head and shoulders forward of my body)caused from 30 years of hairdessing!Is there help for my posture please?
| Sat March 24, 2012 
Are there YouTube videos of the other three exercises? The one for B was very helpful.
Anoop | Sun March 25, 2012
Hi David,
I am not sure, David. But those are pretty easy right? does the arrows make sense?
Hi Margaret,
I have two articles for your posture and pain:
http://www.exercisebiology.com/index.php/site/articles/exercises_to_correct_forward_head_and_shoulder_posture/
http://www.exercisebiology.com/index.php/site/articles/a_revolution_in_the_understanding_of_pain_and_treatment_of_pain/
| Sun March 25, 2012
A,B, and D make sense, especially with video for B. I am not sure what C means. Below the table? I do most of my practice on the floor.
| Wed April 25, 2012 
Would these help for rehab of a dislocating shoulder?
Anoop | Fri April 27, 2012
Hi James
It might. Most shoulder injuries will carry over some scapular dysfucntions. Atleast that’s the theory.
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