#2: Overhead Motion - The Three Primary Components
The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body. Oftentimes people lack mobility, stability or patterning which results in discomfort, pain or decrement of performance. This article will outline the three primary components of overhead motion - upward rotation, posterior tilt and external rotation - and provide example exercises for each.
As you raise your arm away from your body, your shoulder blade follows. After the first 30 degrees of arm motion (which is created by your supraspinatus rotator cuff muscle), there is a 2:1 degree ratio of arm motion to shoulder blade motion. This concept brings us to our first component of overhead motion - upward rotation - or the combination of scapular protraction and elevation. The inferior border of the scapula should wrap around the rib-cage to the mid-axillary line or the side of the rib-cage inline with the armpit.
As the name suggests, the scapula tilts posterior on the rib-cage. If you imagine your palms to be headlights, try raising your hands so your palms are facing each other. Your arms shoulder directly overhead meaning your elbows should be in-line with your ears. If you cannot achieve this position or it is uncomfortable, that should be telling that your shoulders could use some work. Easiest thing to do would be to get a massage followed by a professional evaluation by a fitness professional and then seeing a Physician for an assessment and potential diagnosis. To feel the posterior tilt of the scapula, gently rotate your pinkies towards each other which will encourage slight external rotation of the shoulder. As your rotate the pinkies towards each other, reach your arms behind your ears. You should feel the scapula tilt, tuck under or reposition itself on the ribcage allowing you to get your arms behind your ears. The lower trapezius, serratus anterior and rotator cuff muscles all work in conjunction to achieve this posterior tilt.
The picture shows a mobility drill to encourage thoracic extension and helps pattern or feel the shoulder posterior tilt.
External rotation of the shoulder and shoulder blade occur, maintaining space for the arm bone, collar bone, scapula and rib cage to all move in synchrony avoiding pinching and free motion. As you raise your arms overhead you can achieve this by rotating your thumbs away from each other, your pinkies will slightly point towards each other. If you are holding a barbell overhead, this is the proverbial torque created from the hands that should result in a sensation of tension in your armpit area. You may have heard the cue of “breaking the bar,” which helps feel the stability created through the shoulder girdle from your hands. Any of the classic shoulder external rotation exercises come into play here as well as your patterning or knowing how to create external rotation by creating tension in your body. The same cue applies when your hands are on the ground for a push-up or when you are unracking the barbell bench press or wrenching tight for a kettlebell swing or deadlift.
Now that we understand how to get into the ideal position, let’s survey some potential constraints. Mobility is always first. You cannot achieve stability or patterning if you do not first have range of motion (mobility). You can do this self assessment to begin to understand your mobility or lack thereof called the “Wall Angel.” If you cannot maintain contact with your elbows and wrists to the wall while straightening your arms overhead into the “Y position,” then you likely need to prioritize mobility first. If you can maintain the “Y position” with ease, then you should focus on stability and patterning.
Getting to 180 degrees of shoulder flexion is the complete overhead position. This is where you would hold a Turkish Get-up or where you would finish a dumbbell or kettlebell overhead press. If you cannot “wall angel” into this position, referred to as the “I” position, then you will likely be best off with a more limited range of motion overhead press. 135 degrees of shoulder abduction is your classic “Y” position. This is where you would catch a snatch and comparable to where you will likely press a barbell. If you can “wall angel” to this position with ease, then the landmine press and TRX “Y” position reverse fly could be two really beneficial, bread-and-butter, exercises for you; however, exercises like snatches, get-ups and dumbbell/ kettlebell overhead presses will likely still cause discomfort.
If you are unsure, still experiencing issues or would like more information, drop me a note and I’d be happy to assess your movement, compliments of the house, of course.
Cited Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK531475/
https://www.orthopt.org/uploads/content_files/2014_Annual_Meeting_Handouts/Sahrmann___with_Ludewig_Scap___humerus.pdf
https://www.physio-pedia.com/Scapulohumeral_Rhythm
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2857390/
