Lacking Upward Rotation of the Scapula?
Do you have an athlete that has poor scapular stability or lacks upward rotation?
Have a quick and lasting effect on function and mobility by treating the nerve first! It’s all about a smarter approach, when the nerve isn’t able to freely glide and slide the motor output suffers. The long thoracic nerve is the target here to improve the serratus anterior function and mobility.
Understanding where the long thoracic nerve is helpful to begin. It is part of the brachial plexus and originates from the nerve roots of C6-7. Then it travels between the scalene muscles and behind the clavicle towards the axilla and along the lateral border of the rib cage where it connects with the serratus anterior.
Before freeing up the nerve to glide be sure to:
✅ check range of motion in shoulder flexion and upward rotation and shoulder extension and downward rotation (measure where the inferior angle reaches- full ROM in upward rotation is mid-axillary line!)
✅ check wall push up stability both double arm and single arm
✅ check breathing quality and volume
Now try this interventions. It is great to recheck in-between each one to see if one area or technique was more effective than the others.
Subclavis and pec self massage. Go slow, breathe, feel, and move arm and shoulder blade
Coregous ball neck “make out” or 3rd base as my friend Jill Miller, Founder of Yoga Tune Up says. Can do with hands or lean against wall.
Coregous ball and or Franklin smooth ball on distal end of LTN. Use breath and slight rotation to perform gentle self massage and mobility
Clavicle mobility movement drill- create some space and movement
If you are a sports healthcare provider or have one use a flexible silicon cup in the areas of restriction. The cup allows for a skin lifting technique which can be even more of a neural manipulation technique eliciting a reflexive relaxation and improved slide and glide of the fascial interface.
After interventions recheck range of motion and breathing! Personally, I improved in stability, strength, and range of motion just with a little work demonstration of for the videos!
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