The winged scapula is one of the most common postural faults we see today. And even though we are talking about winged scapula in this article the information and exercises provided will relate to ALL shoulder injuries. The term winged scapula gets its name from its appearance, a wing-like resemblance, due to the medial border of the scapula sticking straight out from the back. As I mentioned at the start this is a postural fault that can greatly affect a person’s ability to lift, pull, and push weighty objects and can cause pain and discomfort with simple daily activities such as taking your shirt off or playing a sport. When pain sets in people resort to the treatment of trigger point massage, stretching, and acupuncture which all may help in some way but the real answer lies in providing stability. Why? The shoulder is such an amazing joint in that it has an incredible amount of mobility and is able to perform some incredibly powerful and dynamic movements like serving in tennis or simply throwing a ball. But this awesome mobility comes at a cost, as the stability of the shoulder can be very easily compromised. And when this happens is when injury and pain takes over. If we lose that stability, we get some extra mobility of the humeral head within the joint, and that begins to pinch some of the structures around it and you eventually end up with common postural problems like the winged scapula that progress to much worse problems such as injuries like a shoulder impingement or rotator cuff tears. In this article, we will provide you with some of the most effective and simple to do stability exercises that you can begin using to improve your posture and get your shoulder movement back, without pain and compensation.
Single Cable Push – Why It Is So Much More Than A Simple Strength Exercise
Of all the exercises used in the gym the single cable push is right up the top in our rankings of movements to master. Many people think of this as an exercise to increase strength in the chest and shoulders as it shares the timing of the push-up and bench press exercises. However, it is very unique in that it has so many moving parts with multiple joints and muscles all demanding perfect positioning and timing in order to execute the movement effectively. Many of these joints and muscles are also the common weak areas in many people, making it a perfect choice for improving stability, strength, and importantly their movement. This particular exercise is used extensively in our programs for rehabilitation with shoulder and back pain, along with foundation training for older adults wanting to improve quality of movement and strength. But it also is a key component of our training with elite sporting athletes for athletic success as this exercise shares the key attributes needed in running and throwing! In this article, I am going to explain exactly what this exercise does, how to complete it perfectly, various progressions to use, and most importantly why we rate it so highly. Enjoy.