Workouts

2 Steps to Regain Shoulder Blade Flexibility

Simple daily at-home exercises relieve soreness, improve scapular alignment, correct poor posture, and enhance overall well-being.
2 Steps to Regain Shoulder Blade Flexibility
Naatali/Shutterstock
Amber Yang
|Updated:
0:00

Many common upper-body issues—including neck and shoulder soreness, hunched back, forward head posture, and rounded shoulders, as well as buffalo and dowager’s humps—are strongly linked to poor scapular (shoulder blade) mobility.

To better understand what’s happening in your upper back, it’s important to first learn the basic anatomy and true function of the scapula. From there, I’ll guide you through five simple self-assessment tests to evaluate your scapular health, followed by a two-phase activation routine designed to relieve upper-body discomfort and restore better movement.

The Unique ‘Floating’ Scapula: How It Affects Your Body

Most bones in the human body are connected through joints. The scapulae, however, are unique in that they are highly mobile yet “floating” bones. Located on the back of the rib cage, they connect to the skeletal framework only at its outer edges through the clavicle. Because of their unique position, the scapula’s stability and smooth movement depend largely on the surrounding muscles.
Amber Yang
Amber Yang
Amber Yang is a certified personal trainer. She met all the requirements of the American Council on Exercise to develop and implement personalized exercise programs. She worked as a marketing manager for natural skin care products for years and as a health and beauty reporter and editor for ten years. She is also the host and producer of the YouTube programs "Amber Running Green" and "Amber Health Interview."