Scapula Muscles: Release and Lengthening

This course describes scapula muscle release and lengthening, commonly referred to as scapula muscle foam rolling, scapula muscle release with ball, neck, and shoulder stretching, and scapular mobility techniques. Although terms like tight muscle, muscle tightness, tight traps, tight neck, or tight rhomboids are commonly used, it may be more accurate to label these muscles as prone to over-activity (e.g. hypertonic, phasic).

Performing downward rotator and anterior tipper release and lengthening techniques to increase mobility prior to activation, integration, and strengthening techniques may significantly enhance rehabilitation and performance programs. In practice, the release of the levator scapulae, rhomboids, pectoralis minor, and potentially the upper trapezius, mobilizing the shoulder joint, and integrating a child's pose stretch (rhomboid stretch), crucifixion stretch (pectoralis minor stretch), and/or open books (active stretch), is likely to improve shoulder and scapulothoracic mobility and improve the effectiveness of exercises like wall angels, wall slide, ITY’s, cobras, etc.

Scapular anterior tipper and downward rotator over-activity have been correlated with altered upper extremity alignment, rounded shoulder posture, shoulder medial rotation syndrome, upper cross syndrome, forward head posture, loss of scapular muscle strength, loss of rotator cuff strength and stability, shoulder pain, neck pain, scapulothoracic pain, AC/SC joint pain, an increased risk of future injury, and a loss of sports performance.

Sports medicine professionals (personal trainers, fitness instructors, physical therapists, massage therapists, chiropractors, occupational therapists, athletic trainers, etc.) should add these exercises to their repertoire to improve the outcomes of their integrated exercise programs and therapeutic (rehabilitation) interventions.

Release Techniques

• Levator Scapulae Static Release
• Upper Trapezius Static Release
• Levator Scapulae Dynamic Release
• Pectoralis Minor Static Release

Joint Mobilization Techniques

Following release techniques, but before lengthening techniques, it may be beneficial to perform Self-administered Joint Mobilization Techniques: Upper Body

• Thoracic Spine Posterior to Anterior Mobilization
• Thoracic Spine Rotational Mobilization

Lengthening Techniques

• Wall stretch (Pec Minor)
• Crucifixion Stretch

Caption: A pectoralis minor release technique using a ball