Scapula or shoulder blades play a pivotal part in maintaining a proper posture. In turn, movements and stretching of the scapula are crucial for posture correction.
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All of the muscles involved in the scapula movement are equally important. Imbalance of these muscles can result in pain on the upper back, poor posture, etc.
The scapula, commonly referred to as the “shoulder blade,” is a large, flat bone that sits on top of the rib cage and is held in place by the many muscles of the shoulder girdle. Unlike most other joints in the body, the scapulothoracic joint does not connect to the body by fibrous (eg: the skull), cartilaginous (eg: intervertebral discs), or synovial (eg: the hip) tissues.
It’s important to think of the scapula as the foundation of a building. A building is only as strong as its foundation, just like a tree’s sturdiness is determined by its roots. Similarly, your upper body strength banks heavily on the stability that is provided by your scapular muscles, that ground the upper extremities and allow for greater distal strength.
Having shoulder pain and dysfunction are quite common problems that your physical therapist needs to be able to manage. However, doing Scapular stabilization exercises can be a great way to regain the normal control and use of your arm after experiencing shoulder injury or even surgery. You can perform these exercises a few times a week to regain appropriate strength and postural control of your shoulder to potentially prevent you from future complications.
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