What is your scapula? And why do you stabilize it?

We know how to effectively breathe while doing Pilates. We know how to place our pelvis while exercising and we are now aware of the placement of our ribcage while doing Pilates. Now let’s consider the back of our ribcage and our scapula or shoulder blades which lie on top of our ribcage on our back. Our shoulder blades are flat bones that lie on the back of our ribcage and are very mobile. Why are they so mobile? The shoulder blades are not attached to the vertebrae in any way. The only bony attachment shoulder blades have to our skeleton is to our clavicle (collar bone) by means of our acromium process (the bony bits on top of each of your shoulders.) As a result our shoulder blades are very mobile. To counterbalance all this mobility, stability of the shoulder blades (scapula) is required. This involves strengthening of the muscles in the scapular region. Ideally shoulder blades should lie nice and flat on the back of the ribcage but this isn’t always the case. Again, strengthening of the muscles in the area will help achieve this. Since the shoulder blades are very mobile many movements can be performed by the scapula, six movements in particular: pro traction, retraction, elevation, depression, upward rotation and downward rotation. For those that carry tension in the neck and shoulder region a side benefit of working on stabilization of the scapular region is relief from any unnecessary tension in the neck and shoulder region. This is also why stabilization of the scapular region is encouraged at the beginning of every movement: to minimize neck and shoulder tension.

Let’s consider the six movements of the scapula.

1. First, sit on the floor or on a mat, spine in neutral position, knees bent and feet about hip distance apart. Hold your arms up, elbows extended, shoulder height.
2. Inhale and reach fingers towards the wall in front of you feeling your shoulder blades separating and rotating around your ribcage.
3. Exhale and slide your should blades together feeling your shoulder blades rotating around your ribcage and coming together. Repeat 1. And 2. Six more times
4. Sit with arms by your side. Inhale and raise your shoulders up towards your ears feeling your shoulder blades sliding upwards on the back of you ribcage.
5. Exhale and lower your shoulders down and away from your ears feeling your shoulder blades sliding down the back of your ribcage. Repeat 3 and 4 6 times.
6. Sitting with arms by your side, Circle your arms around in one direction using two breathes to complete one full rotation, inhale and exhale. Repeat 6 times. Repeat in the other direction. You will feel your shoulder blades upwards and downwards on the back of your ribcage as you perform the arm circles.

Stabilizing your shoulder blades: How I stabilize shoulder blades

1. First sit up right, spine in neutral position. What I suggest is to think necklace or chain that you’re wearing and that is lying on your chest. You want to show that chain or necklace off to everyone by lifting your chest (sternum) up, opening up your ribcage and looking upwards.
2. Next, roll your shoulders up, back and down and leave them there! Your shoulder blades are hopefully flat on the back of your ribcage, your shoulders neither are back but not too far back nor are they rose up to high.