Winging Scapula

by Liz Brealy
(Kuwait)

I have a winging scapula that are not upwardly or downwardly rotated. Any ideas on what Pilates exercises I could perform to help this? I am in no pain.

I have looked at the muscles in that area, Trapezius Lower, Rhomboids and Serratus Anterior and presume these will need working?



Jennifer's Answer:

Hi Liz and thank you for your question. I had this same problem when I first started my Pilates training. Both my shoulder blade's were winging out everywhere.

I really had no control of the muscles that stabilized the scapula, especially once I started using the spring tension doing the long stretches on the reformer.

The winging especially happens when you pop your ribs or lose your abdominal control to help stabilize the core including the ribcage and scapula.

Imagine your ribcage being stretched apart as you inhale and then knitted together as you exhale.

Keep that knitted feeling now as you are exercising breathing in and out. This should not only stabilize the front of the body, but the back or scapula as well.


Probably the best exercise to help strengthen and stabilize your postural muscles is the Serratus Anterior Cobra or Elbow Pull.

You can find this and several other exercises that work the muscles of the traps, rhomboids, lats, and serratus that stabilize the scapula here:
Best Exercises for Shoulder Stabilization.