· Shoulder Adduction moves the arm toward the midline of the body and involves the muscle groups; pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, teres major, and posterior deltoid. To effectively work these muscles pull a band or cable with your arm extended out to the side and pull it straight down toward your thigh.

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What is it about those shoulder blades?

Well, Without the shoulder blades (scapula) our arms would hang off the end of our shoulders and either have too much range without control or a lack of range because the muscles would attach directly to our ribcage.

The shoulder blades act as a stable foundation for the arm to move freely. Muscular imbalances in the shoulder girdle will cause dysfunctional movement patterns throughout the body.

Scapular actions not only move and stabilize the shoulder blades, but they also flex, extend, abduct, and adduct the arm.

· Scapular rotation downward moves the outer tip of the scapula down and assists the arm in extension, adduction, and internal rotation. This shoulder exercise involves the muscle groups of the rhomboids, levator scapula, and pectoralis major.

· Scapular rotation upward moves the outer tip of the scapula upward and assists the arm in flexion, abduction, and external rotation. This shoulder exercise involves the muscle groups of the upper and lower trapezius and the serratus anterior.

· Scapular protraction moves the shoulder blades forward on the rib cage and shoulder girdle in a forward direction. The muscles involved are the pectoralis minor and the serratus anterior.

· Scapular retraction moves the shoulder girdle and blades together toward the vertebral column. The muscles working here are the rhomboids and middle trapezius.

· Scapular elevation moves the shoulder girdle and blades up the back toward the ear, like a shoulder shrug. Muscle groups involved here are the levator scapula and upper trapezius.

· Scapular depression moves the shoulder girdle and blades down the back and involves the pectoralis minor and lower trapezius.

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