When your arms are above shoulder-height, hold the position and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Band Pull-Aparts. Like any muscle, the serratus anterior can become tight and sore. 2017 Jan; 4(1): 1-6. doi:10.15226/2374-6904/4/1/00153, Essentials of Athletic Training; Daniel D. Arnheim and William E. Prentice, Stretching Scientifically: A Guide to Flexibility Training (Fourth Edition); Thomas Kurz. Dandasana (Staff Pose) Floor Push. Place a strap or a belt over your right shoulder. This finger-like muscle stabilizes the scapula and assists in elevating your arm. Reach to the Side. Rest your hands on your knees. If your side ribs feel tight, it may be your serratus anterior. Perform five to 10 minutes of aerobic exercise. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000012515, Mastrella Ade S, Freitas-junior R, Paulinelli RR, Soares LR. Interlock your fingers with your palms facing away from your body. Shawnee Randolph is a yoga teacher and writer in Salem, Ore. She holds a Bachelor's degree in English: journalism from Corban University, and completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training at Heartsong Yoga in Beaverton, Ore. What Is a Good Stretching Routine Before Bed? Origin. The serratus anterior is the most important muscle that facilitates an upward rotation of the shoulder blade. Lie down on a bed with your back flat. Bend your elbow and reach your hand down your back. This is accomplished by holding onto a stable object with the … Relax the tops of your shoulders. J Clin Nurs. Include jumping jacks to help stretch your serratus anterior dynamically. Do not practice this stretch if you have a shoulder or wrist injury. Slightly … Traumatic avulsion of the serratus anterior muscle in a collegiate rower: a case report. The serratus anterior also allows the scapula to move laterally. Cobra Pose Switch sides and repeat with the other arm. Switch foot positions and repeat for 20 to 25 additional seconds. Only a portion of the muscle is used for flap reconstruction: the lower three slips of muscle arise at the very inferior scapula and have an independent blood and nerve supply, making them a good source of a medium to small sized muscle for free flap coverage. Anatomically, the serratus anterior originates on the surface of the 1st to 8th ribs at the side of the chest and inserts along the entire anterior length of the medial border of the scapula (shoulder blade). That lateral movement is necessary for elevating and raising our arms above the head.
A strong serratus anterior will make these actions a breeze. Bouncing or forcing the stretch can lead to injury. The serratus anterior is most recognized by its serrated-looking appearance along the side of your body. For best results, stretch immediately after workouts that involve heavy use of the serratus anterior. It can be used to stabilize the shoulder blades in yoga poses like downward dog, handstand, warrior 1, warrior 2, chaturanga dandasana and wheel pose among others. Outer surfaces and superior borders of upper eight or nine ribs, and fascia covering their intercostal spaces. Stand up tall with a straight spine. Place your right arm behind your back with the right elbow lightly... Doorway Stretch. Bend your right knee and place your foot on the ground. Hold for three to five breaths and repeat on the other side. Hold one end of a towel in your right hand overhead with your arm straight, then bend your elbow so the towel hangs behind you along your spine. Sports Health. The serratus anterior is a set of muscles that is essential to proper shoulder positioning. Hold this position while breathing deeply for 20 to 25 seconds. Maximizing your serratus anterior activation, while minimizing the involvement of the pec minor. Stand with one foot in front of the other with both toes pointing forward. The serratus anterior acts to pull the scapula forward around the thorax. The Serratus Anterior is the primary muscle that anchors the scapula flat onto the rib cage.. Repeat stretches up to four times on each side. Start seated with your legs extended in front of you. Bridge Pose. Bend your upper arm and rest your palm on the upper part of your waist so your thumb is pointed toward your pelvis and your fingers are nearly touching your lower back. Point your knee and your toes to the right. Do a partner-assisted lying serratus stretch. Improve it: Stretching the TFL is the secret to improving your performance, say Robertson. The serratus anterior upwardly rotates the shoulder blade and protracts the shoulder blade (move it away from the midline of the body). Attempt to increase the intensity of the stretch with every rep. Don't stretch beyond your body's capacity. Rest your right elbow on your right knee and lift your left arm up and over your head. Holding an exercise band in your hands, raise your arms to shoulder level. It runs laterally around the rib cage, passes underneath the scapula to insert on its medial border. King holds a Bachelor of Science in kinesiology from California State University, Hayward, and a Master of Science in exercise physiology from California State University, East Bay. Side bending targets the serratus anterior. It looks similar to long talons or claws which is how it earned its name—after the sharp teeth of a saw! It attaches onto the under surface of the shoulder blade and to the side of the rib cage. The serratus anterior is a key muscle involved with the performance of many overhead movements such as throwing a baseball, serving in tennis, and pressing a barbell overhead. Arm Stretch. Begin in dandasana. After a few moments, roll your shoulders the opposite direction. The Bathroom Stretch. Draw your shoulder blades together and do not allow the hips to sag. Hold a weight in one … Stand straight with your feet close together. How to Stretch the Serratus Anterior Crescent Side Bend. In my clinical practice thus far, I have seen several different ways of testing the serratus anterior, but it is … Not only does this muscle have a cool name, but it is also needed for a plethora of arm movements; weather open chain (punching/grabbing something out of the cabinet) or closed chain (pushups, planks, downward dogs, or handstands). 2014;6(1):4-11. doi:10.1111/sae.12033, Lee SY, Lee HD, Cho YS, Han SH. Basic stretches can help alleviate tightness and preserve or improve mobility. Joe King began writing fitness and nutrition articles in 2001 for the "Journal of Hyperplasia Research" and Champion Nutrition. If your lower back is rounding, or your hips … Attempt to increase the intensity of the stretch with every rep. Stretch only to the point of light discomfort and hold that position without bouncing. 2017;9(1):80-83. doi:10.1177/1941738116670636, Gooding BW, Geoghegan JM, Wallace WA, Manning PA. Scapular winging. Try sitting and reaching backward with your arm and shoulder on the affected side. Continue your warmup with shoulder rolls: shrug your shoulders toward your ears and roll them back toward the wall behind you. Start by warming up your body with gentle movement. 1 If this muscle becomes weak or fatigued, it can lead to unwanted movement within the shoulder joint (excessive … For best results, stretch immediately after workouts that involve heavy use of the serratus anterior. Grab on to the strap. (This whole blog post will be going through a range of different Serratus Anterior Exercises) Those who strength-train often need to relieve tightness of the serratus anterior through stretching. The serratus anterior muscle both spreads the shoulder blades and prevents the shoulder blades from being pushed together. The serratus anterior is stretched by retracting the scapula at the scapulocostal joint. It is the upward rotation force that we are wanting to test, however. Targets: shoulders, serratus anterior, triceps, chest. Side bending targets the serratus anterior. Talk about a full circle powerhouse of muscle!! Serratus anterior muscle (Musculus serratus anterior) The serratus anterior muscle is a fan-shaped muscle at the lateral wall of the thorax.Its main part lies deep under the scapula and the pectoral muscles. This pose is done in the prone position with a slight backwards bend contracting the … The Serratus Anterior and Erector Spinae are good muscles to be beware of and to add into your stretching routine as this can majorly improve bad posture. Effect of Exercise Position on Percent Changes in Serratus Anterior Muscle Thickness. This is a backbend and inversion that can be stimulating or restorative. It stretches the … If you still struggle to feel your serratus anterior you can use a preactivation exercise. The Serratus Anterior is responsible for stabilizing the scapula against the posterior chest wall. 2018;97(40):e12515. This muscle helps spread the ribs for a great inhale. This modified side … The muscle serves as both an antagonist and a synergist to the rhomboid muscles. Winged scapula caused by dorsal scapular neuropathy combined with suprascapular neuropathy: a case report. This muscle assists in several different movements such as those performed in pushups, shoulder presses and shoulder shrugs. Cow-Face Arms is a yoga stretch that helps to lengthen the serratus anterior and stretches the shoulders. The serratus anterior forms the medial wall of the axilla, along with the upper five ribs. Reach your left arm up your back and grab on to the strap. If you can clasp hands, you do not need the strap. Doing a wall slide is a great way to get your serratus anterior firing by going into protraction and upward rotation. Straighten your arms in front of you and stretch them over your head without arching your back. From a systemic perspective, the serratus plays a major role in shoulder positioning which can enhance lymphatic drainage. Reach with your unaffected arm and grab the affected arm at the elbow and pull to assist the stretch. Don't stretch beyond your body's capacity. - YouTube // Leaf Group Lifestyle, Carr JB, John QE, Rajadhyaksha E, Carson EW, Turney KL. Depending on your body type and how shredded (or not) you are, it may or may not be partially visible underneath your armpit during certain motions. That’s where the serratus anterior comes in. Stretch only to the point of light discomfort and hold that position without bouncing. This modified side bend can give your ribs a deep stretch. Reach behind you with your … Warnings. Medicine (Baltimore). The serratus anterior is sometimes called the “boxing muscle” because you need this protraction to throw a punch. Due to its large role in stabilizing the scapula, inadequ… Copyright © 2020 Leaf Group Ltd., all rights reserved. Repeat stretches up to four times on each side. The serratus anterior muscle is located toward the top and side of your rib cage. Press your heels firmly into the ground and lift your hips. The serratus anterior acts to abduct the scapula, or pull them away from each other. If you do not have strength and/or control of this very important muscle, it can lead to scapular winging. Perform the fascia stretch. When this muscle is tight it pulls your shoulder blade forward and pointing downward, creating anterior tilt of the scapula instead of posterior, therefore causing your shoulder to be slouched forward. This muscle spans from the upper 8 ribs along the side of the trunk up to the inner border of the shoulder blade. It’s a large muscle that wraps around the outside of your rib cage and attaches beneath your shoulder blades. Sit in a comfortable cross-legged position. Doing this stretch will improve your shoulder blade’s positioning to be more back and facing upward which is the role of serratus anterior. It helps the shoulder blade to rotate upwards, so that you can reach any higher than shoulder level – hence, perform any ordinary day to day activity. 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