Massage Tutorial Video: Subscapularis

New massage tutorial video! This one’s on the subscapularis muscle, the most mysterious of the rotator cuff muscles. Sandwiched between the scapula and the rib cage, it’s not easy to access. It is, however, worth the effort to address it thoroughly.

Why work with subscap? Well, it’s an internal rotator of the humerus, so it’s a big contributor to rounded shoulder posture. Imagine what would happen if, when someone presented with posture-related shoulder pain, we offered thorough work of pecs major and minor, subscap, and serratus anterior. Throw in some fascial work on the anterior and lateral thoracic region, and you’re cooking with gas!

I also strongly suspect it in many cases of frozen shoulder syndrome, especially if external rotation is extremely limited. While I don’t recommend diving in to subscap on someone with a lot of guarding in the region, it’s definitely something that you can address more and more directly as the symptoms abate.

Let me know what you think! This is one of those “why has no one else ever worked here?” muscles. For those of you who work on it regularly, has this been your experience as well? Have you found that it helps with your overall strategy for shoulder work?

If you avoid this muscle, how come? Let’s talk about it!

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