Bullet Proofing Your Shoulders

Part - 1 Scapular Strength and Control

CONNOR HAMILTON BSc. MSc. MCSP. HCPC

The shoulder is a complex anatomical structure, but it doesn’t need to be a complicated one. The shoulder itself is very mobile, able to work through a number of movement planes; however this comes with an anatomical instability which requires a number of stabilisers in order to load well. If that wasn’t enough, there are other parts of the body like the thoracic spine and shoulder blades that need to move effectively in order for a healthy shoulder to function well. No shoulder exercise program is complete unless all components of the shoulder are addressed. 

Interestingly, while a full 180 degrees of shoulder flexion and abduction (hand above your head) is desired, only 120 degrees of this comes from the glenohumeral (Ball and socket) joint itself with 60 degrees coming from your shoulder blade! More importantly how well you shoulder blade moves on your thoracic spine. Want to Bullet Proof your shoulders? Address the shoulder blade and thoracic spine!

Scapular Strength and Control

If your shoulder blade (Scapula) doesn’t move well, the surrounding muscles are unlikely to load well, if these surrounding muscles don’t load well then when you ask the shoulder to tolerate load the simple answer is, at some point it won’t… When we exercise using movements like press-ups, bench pressing, rowing and pull ups we want to be able to initiate movement from the shoulder blade before the shoulder itself, in my experience I’ve found that the majority of people struggle with this concept.  Try these movements to help improve your scapular strength and control to make sure that when you initiate movements like rows, Lat pull downs or pull ups it’s the scapula that makes the first move. 

Once I've assessed a joint and decided to focus on building a stronger platform for the shoulder to tolerate load, here are four useful drills I like to start everyone with whether you're an office worker, a powerlifter, bodybuilder or you just have a sore shoulder! Always remember that joint position dictates muscle function so the key question you need to ask yourself is "Can I depress and retract my shoulder blades and maintain that position under load"? If the answer is no, then give these drills a try!

• The Banded Y
• The Banded F1
• 1/2 Kneeling Bottoms Up KB Press
• 1/2 Kneeling Bottoms Up KB Press With Strict Curl

Personalised Care, Your Way

Remember that these exercises are not a "one stop shop" and are for demonstration purposes only, always seek guidance from your healthcare provider before engaging in physical activity. With that in mind I understand that your rehabilitation needs are individual and your journey unique. Whether you're recovering from an injury, aiming for athletic excellence, or seeking overall well-being, Connor The Physio is well placed to meet your needs.

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