Yoga for Shoulder pain help stabilize shoulder blade & relief.

Can we use yoga postures to stabilize the shoulder blade and potentially relieve shoulder pain?

Do you suffer from frozen shoulder pain & how to stabilize shoulder blade 

Controlled, cross-sectional study conducted under laboratory conditions

Sample size: 20 participants
Study participants:

• age 18-40
• female
• healthy shoulder function
• had some yoga experience

Surface electromyography (EMG) was used to measure muscle activity of lower, middle, and upper trapezius and serratus anterior (the main muscles used in scapular stabilization).

Most yoga postures that were evaluated generated more muscle activity from serratus anterior than from trapezius. Locust pose with arms forward generated the greatest muscle activity from trapezius, and crow pose generated the greatest activity from serratus anterior.

Some yoga postures show promise for use as a preventative therapy to stabilize the scapula and potentially prevent shoulder dysfunction.

Shoulder pain is very common in the general population. In particular, subacromial impingement is a frequent cause of shoulder pain.

Subacromial impingement occurs when there is reduced space between the head of the humerus and the acromion process. The head of the humerus is the ball at the top of the upper arm bone (the humerus) that fits into the socket to create the shoulder joint. The acromion process is the bony ledge of the scapula that sticks out over the top of the humerus. 

As a result of the reduced space between the head of the humerus and the acromion process, tissues in that area get compressed.

Strengthening the muscles that stabilize the scapula and support maintaining the subacromial space is necessary for reducing the compression of tissues and reducing shoulder pain. The trapezius and serratus anterior are key muscles for maintaining stability of the scapula. The researchers in this study explored several yoga postures as one possible way of developing the necessary strength in the right places to stabilize the scapula and maintain the subacromial space.