Scapulae protraction/retraction: the human’s wing

The Scapulae is the triangular shaped flat bone on the back of your rib cage. I call it the wing bone, because the way it moves across our ribs is similar to how bird flap their wings. Some people affectionately call it their “angle wing”.

This bone can move in 6 different directions to help move and use the arm as a whole. These movements are: protraction, retraction, elevation, depression, upward rotation, downward rotation (seen below).

Dysfunctions in movement or strength imbalance across the 6 directions can lead to shoulder pain, neck pain, nerve impingements, lower back strain, and even foot/ankle instability. Weakness or dysfunction is visualized by the bottom tip of this bone sticking off the rib cage, pointing in the direction behind yourself.

Simple ways to train these muscle groups are known as “scapular clocks”, “serratus push plus”, or “boxers punch”, again, reference below.

Have you heard of the scapula bone? Have you felt this bone poking your back when you lean against a wall or sitting in a firm-backed chair? What sensation do you notice when you lift your arm over head, versus across your body, versus outstretched in front of you? Drop a comment, and together we can use community to heal.

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