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Winged Scapula

  • November 7, 2022
  • Renae Wood

Does it need fixing?

Let’s talk about something seen among people from the general population to the high level athlete.

Scapular winging.

Numerous patient’s have said during consult

“I’ve been told that I have winged scapula, is this a bad thing?

The short answer is NO, winging of the scapula is not inherently bad nor does it correlate to pain or an increase risk of shoulder injury.

Scapula winging can be characterised as a prominence of the scapula seen in quiet standing at rest or during movement.

This is due to an insufficiency of the stabilisation muscles anchoring the scapula to the chest wall.

Below are a few examples.

IMG_2712
IMG_2713
Winged scapula at rest

Why does a winging scapular occur?

Scapulothoracic rhythm is where the scapular (shoulder blade) moves and the thoracic spine stabilises, both working together to maintain the shoulders joints control through movement of the upper limb as it elevates upward.

The serratus anterior is a very important muscle that helps prevent winging of the scapula on the thorax during shoulder movement.

If it is weak it will create a winging effect seen from the back.

Other smaller muscles also stabilising and creating movement across the shoulder joint (termed glenohumeral or scapulohumeral) consist of the supraspinatus, subscapularis, teres minor and infraspinatus. Through to bigger muscles around it including the trapezius, lats, deltoids, rhomboids and pecs.

Check them out!

As you can now appreciate the shoulders movement is comprised of many different muscles, that are working together, to support and stabilize the shoulder joint through its vast ranges of movement.

Exercises for winged scapula

Here are a two examples of exercises that are great for serratus anterior and improving overall stability and strength through the shoulder girdle.

A Standard Push Up Plus

Get your self in a push up position on your toes.

While keeping the arms straight pull your shoulder blades apart and then slowly pull them close together and down to the rib cage.

Banded Push Up Plus

This is a progression to the standard push up plus seen above.

Utilising the banded creates more tension as you perform the movement.

Add on: once you have nailed it, add in the full push up movement.

What do I do if I have a winged scapula?

The most important thing for people concerned with winging scapular is that they get it assessed by a professional.

We are able to the determine if the “winging scapular phenomena” you are experiencing is normal for your or whether it is a contributing factor to pain, injury or poor performance in the shoulder for sport or recreational pursuits.

There are also a few nasties you also want to rule out!

Once we know what is going on, we can develop specific shoulder strengthening exercises that are appropriate for you based on your goals and activities.

When it comes to the shoulder, position is king!

Just doing a shoulder exercise is good, but if you want great it is important the shoulders are positioned optimally during any movement to ensure we build strength in the right places.

This is why having a coach’s eye on you while learning or performing a shoulder movement is helpful to ensure you are moving in the right way to achieve your goals.

Strengthening your shoulders!!

Regardless if you have been told if you have winged scapula or not, the shoulder girdle much like any other joint in the body needs to be strong.

It is important we strengthen the whole shoulder girdle throughout it’s ranges of motion to promote mobility, stability and strength in many different movements.

Strengthening the shoulders and the muscles around the scapulae through home or gym-based exercises will help with posture, power development, speed, and endurance as well as preventing shoulder related injuries.

But you must identify the right type, amount of exercise intensity and load required to make your shoulders strong enough to perform at their peak.

Let’s work together and build a strong and robust shoulder that is pain free and lasts for many years to come!

Renae Wood

Renae joined our Exercise Physiology team in 2021.

Having a long history in the health and fitness industry as well as growing up around all things exercise (her mum is also an Exercise Physiologist) this career runs in her blood.

Renae has a love of both strength and conditioning as well as pilates to help people over come injury, pain or health concerns.

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At Fighting Fit Physiotherapy, we recognise the impacts that pain and dysfunction can have on one’s personal and professional life. We are committed as primary healthcare professionals to help our clients resume their lifelong pursuit of health and well-being.

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Fighting Fit Physiotherapy Nerang Gold Coast

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Fighting Fit Physiotherapy Nerang Gold Coast

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GOLD COAST PHYSIO

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