Post: #1

So I got back from the doctor yesterday regarding left shoulder pain and forearm/hand weakness that I have been experiencing for 2+ years. The doc attributed my symptoms to an ailment called backpack palsy (I backpacked for years and lived in an area that required intense hiking in and out of my town), exacerbated by my protruding shoulder blades or winged scapula and weakness of the muscles holding the blades close to the body. Frankly, I was relieved to hear his prognosis as I had been seeing doctor after to doctor to no avail, and he gave me a diagnosis that seems treatable given the right therapy and treatment.

I will most likely begin physical therapy in a month or so, but would like to hear from anyone who participated in a routine to strengthen the shoulder blade muscles: exercises that worked great, exercises that didn't work well, lifting regiments during PT, and overall experience of the rehab process. I'd love to get my shoulder to a level where I could comfortably play baseball again, and pick up boxing, but won't push it too hard. I'll be sure to add more input as I go forward, and lessons learned from the experience.

Thanks all.

Post: #2

I had this, you need to do certain stretches and follow pt. Do the sleeper stretch, you can find it online and wall slides. Also do cable back pulls, maintain good posture, and wearing a brace for 20 minutes a day isn't a bad idea as it stretches the muscles in ways they are not use to, don't wear it any longer though or atrophy will set in. My posture improved by about 70% over about 6 weeks.

Post: #3

Front chest pulls with resistance bands for 12-20 rep sets will fix 90% of your shoulder problems.

Post: #4

Your rhomboids are the muscle group that you need to develop. They are the muscles underneath the shoulder blades.

Light weight with moderate to high reps.
Bent over dumb-bent arm raises. Pull with your elbows like they have strings attached to them. At the top squeeze the muscles in your back.
(Basically a face pull around shoulder level but with dumbbells and you're looking at the ground)

Shoulder dislocates are your best friend. I would do 40-80 reps with a thera-band.

I have arthritis in my vertebrae, my doctor suggested that i do movements that increase the strength in my upper back because if i don't i could develop scapula problems.

Post: #5

Good tips by kinjutsu.

I'd also add "Scapula/Serratus Punches" which strenghtens your serratus muscles. Their function is, among other things, to pull the scapula towards the ribcage.

Start with 3x10-15 with light weights and work your way up.

Post: #6

(06-22-2016 02:39 AM)kinjutsu Wrote:  Your rhomboids are the muscle group that you need to develop. They are the muscles underneath the shoulder blades.

I respectfully disagree with directly targeting the rhomboids in this case.
Winged scapula are most often caused by excessive downward rotation of the scapula.
Since the rhomboids are downward rotators themselves, training them directly can make the problem even worse.

In stead, you want to strengthen the upward rotators: serratus anterior and (especially lower) trapezius.
The exercise DarianFrey posted is very good for the serratus; you can do a google search for lower trap exercises.
(Kinjutsu, most of these exercises will hit the rhomboids as well, but they hit them in the upwardly rotated position, which is not a problem.)

One thing that might be very difficult at first is to get a mind-muscle connection with the serratus and lower traps. Probably your over-active upper traps, levator scapulae and rhomboids will take over and you will feel the exercises only there. It could be a good idea to spend a couple of sessions with a good physical therapist so he can release your over-active muscles (the ones I mentioned + lats probably) and learn you to use the proper muscles.

Source: over-active downward rotators have kept me out of the gym for years. Only extensive physical therapy (1 year+) to release the over-activated muscles and build the mind-muscle connection with the upward rotators has helped me to get back in the gym.

Post: #7

Here are some good lower trap exercises from Lee Boyce:

Post: #8

Thanks for the advice guys. I've been trying a few exercises on my own, and I definitely understand what PhDre is talking about regarding the mind muscle connection. I really have to concentrate hard to activate the serratus muscles.

Good tips, I'll update on the progress.

Post: #9

(06-22-2016 10:42 AM)PhDre Wrote:  

(06-22-2016 02:39 AM)kinjutsu Wrote:  Your rhomboids are the muscle group that you need to develop. They are the muscles underneath the shoulder blades.

I respectfully disagree with directly targeting the rhomboids in this case.
Winged scapula are most often caused by excessive downward rotation of the scapula.
Since the rhomboids are downward rotators themselves, training them directly can make the problem even worse.

In stead, you want to strengthen the upward rotators: serratus anterior and (especially lower) trapezius.
The exercise DarianFrey posted is very good for the serratus; you can do a google search for lower trap exercises.
(Kinjutsu, most of these exercises will hit the rhomboids as well, but they hit them in the upwardly rotated position, which is not a problem.)

One thing that might be very difficult at first is to get a mind-muscle connection with the serratus and lower traps. Probably your over-active upper traps, levator scapulae and rhomboids will take over and you will feel the exercises only there. It could be a good idea to spend a couple of sessions with a good physical therapist so he can release your over-active muscles (the ones I mentioned + lats probably) and learn you to use the proper muscles.

Source: over-active downward rotators have kept me out of the gym for years. Only extensive physical therapy (1 year+) to release the over-activated muscles and build the mind-muscle connection with the upward rotators has helped me to get back in the gym.

It's all good PhDre.
The movements i recommended were to prevent the issue from happening.
You're suggests are what to do when you already have the pain and discomfort.
A year of physical therapy? I believe that. It took me 8 months to get full range of motion back in my neck and upper back.