Wrapping the Shoulders

The shoulder girdle is composed of the clavicle (collarbone) and the scapula. The placement of the scapula—and the shoulder girdle as a whole picture—affects your posture, as well as the strength and mobility of your arm movements and spinal motions. When the shoulder girdle is properly placed in a neutral position, the socket will be stable so that all the muscles around the shoulder girdle can move in harmony. This allows your core power to transmit to the arms efficiently to express its strength and mobility.

Of course, the power of these movements is related to the pelvic girdle and the lower limbs, but in this post, I'd like to focus on the shoulder girdle.

The scapula engages in 6 types of motion, which allow for full-functional upper extremity movement: protraction, retraction, elevation, depression, upward rotation, and downward rotation. Through these six motions, the scapula allows full function of the shoulder joint, one of the most mobile and versatile joints in the human body.

Now, I'd like to address the neutral, stationary position of the scapula.

My cue will be "down-in-forward"—three directional elements in one position. First, you drop the scapula down, pull it in, and push it forward. It sounds simple, yet what you're engaging, where you are initiating from, and the direction and angle of it matters. Several muscles play a role in the different positions of the scapula, but below I'll address the certain muscles to focus on.

Downwards (Depression)

Depression is accomplished by the action of the latissimus dorsi, serratus anterior, pectoralis major and minor, and trapezius.

I want to focus on the lower fibers of the trapezius, which help to depress the scapula, and also help the upper fibers upwardly rotate the scapula. The lower fibers of the trapezius arise from the spinous processes of the thoracic vertebrae (T4–T12). From this origin, they proceed upward and laterally to converge near the scapula and end in an aponeurosis, which glides over the smooth triangular surface on the medial end of the spine, to be inserted into a tubercle at the apex of this smooth triangular surface.  

Activation of these lower fibers helps to stabilize the scapula during overhead movements. When the lower fibers are weak, the upper fibers engage more often than they should. When we are able to focus on isolating those fibers—especially the lower fibers—then finally the upper fibers can take a break, and we don't get a tight neck and tight upper shoulders.

Inwards (Retraction)

Retraction is accomplished by the action of the trapezius, rhomboids, and latissimus dorsi. To move from the deep layer of muscles which has a direct connection to the scapula bone and the spine (plus its relation to the deep back arm line of fascia), I want to focus on engaging the rhomboids. The rhomboid major and minor originate on the nuchal ligaments and spinous processes of C7–T5, and insert into the medial border of the scapula.

Forwards (Protraction)

Protraction is accomplished by the action of the serratus anterior, pectoralis major, and pectoralis minor muscles. The serratus anterior originates from the upper eight or nine ribs. From this wide origin, the fibers wrap around the thorax and underneath the scapula to be inserted into the vertebral border of the scapula.

Stand straight and engage those three muscles to stabilize the scapula in the back, and you will feel your chest become more open and lifted. However, as you keep this placement of the shoulder girdle, you'll need to drop (close or soften) the floating ribcage and lower ribcage towards the pubic bone to avoid compression of the lower back, and bring the head slightly back to lengthen the neck. Then, the spine can be effortlessly elongated and you'll feel tall!

These images are from Muscles, Merves and Movement in Human Occupation by Ian R. McMillan & Gail Carin-Levy