Your Child’s Posture: 6 Exercises to Strengthen the Serratus Anterior Muscle

Child at computer serratus anterior

The Serratus Anterior Muscles and your child’s posture. 

The accessibility to technology has increased tremendously over the last few decades and children now have the ability to access amazing opportunities that were once unheard of. It has however, placed greater stress on our health and wellbeing with significant increases in neck and shoulder pain.

The increase in neck pain in the 1990’s and 2000’s has been well documented, especially among middle aged office workers (1). Alarmingly though, it has increased in adolescents at a far greater rate AND computer use was identified as an independent risk factor for developing neck pain (2)!

 

The use of screens such as computers, laptops, tablets and mobile phones encourages a poke chin, rounded shoulders and increased thoracic kyphosis – in short poor posture. Not only in children but the wider population as well.

Correcting posture doesn’t happen in one simple step. There are many steps that need to be implemented, including at home exercises to gain better alignment, including:

  • Activity modification (e.g. decreasing ‘screen time’)
  • Stretching
  • Strength based exercises

 

Neck Pain in desk workers

You can head over to two recent articles by Jamie which delve into the use of a Thoracic Wedge for Posture and Acute Wry Neck

This article will explore the serratus anterior – often overlooked when correcting posture but can be key in your long-term posture success!

Introducing the Serratus Anterior Muscles

The Serratus Anterior muscles are hidden underneath your arm. They begin at the top surface of the upper eight (or nine) ribs and insert onto the inside (medial) border and lower (inferior) angle of your shoulder blade (or scapula).

 

Serratus Anterior Muscles improve posture

What does the Serratus Anterior Muscles do?

Ever heard of winging shoulder blades? This is when you can see the inside edge of your shoulder blade sticking out during certain movements, and means your shoulder complex is unstable. If your serratus anterior is working effectively this won’t happen! When functioning properly it also decreases neck pain as it allows your shoulder and arm to move effectively without compensation from you neck.

How does this happen? Let’s look into it…

The action of the serratus anterior is to protract your shoulder blades.  This means they draw the shoulder blades away from each other around to the front of your ribcage. And here they lock your shoulder into place. If weak, the serratus anterior won’t lock you in place and when you go to perform a movement such as a push-up your shoulder blades will fly right back creating a dysfunction and possibly hurting your neck and shoulder!

It is also responsible for upward rotation of your shoulder blades. This allows you to lift your arms above shoulder height. If your serratus anteriors are not strong or not firing correctly your body will use trick movements to lift your arm high, usually by shrugging your shoulders. This possibly leads to overloaded neck muscles, shoulder impingement and even rotator cuff tears!

 

Combining all of this together the serratus anteriors are major contributors to having great posture and avoiding neck pain! They anchor and stabilize your shoulder blade as well as allowong fluid and efficient movement of the shoulders, decreasing the impact and use of your neck.

 

Best Exercises to Strengthen you Serratus Anterior

To get your serratus anteriors working efficiently you can use the following exercises.

 

Serratus Anterior Punch

Difficulty: low

Serratus Anterior Upward Punch

Lie down on a bed with your back flat. Hold a weight in one hand and lift your arm above your face. From here, punch straight up in the air, then let your shoulder relax down as far as you can making sure you keep your arm straight. Imagine your arm bone sinking into the shoulder socket.

Repetitions: 3 x 10-15

Amount: 1-2 per day

Bear Hug

Difficulty: low-medium

Bear Hug 1st PositionBear Hug 2nd Position

Standing straight, hold onto a theraband at each end and wrap around the middle of your shoulder blades. Raise your arms directly out to your side at a 90 degree angle. Keeping your arm as straight as possible pull the band forward and inwards as if you were giving someone a hug. Once your hands meet hold in the position for 5 seconds before returning to the starting position. Try to avoid shrugging through your shoulders during this exercise.

Repetitions: 3 x 10-15

Amount 1-2 per day

Wall Push-up

Difficulty: medium

Serratus Anterior Wall Push

Stand front on to a wall with a slight lean and your arm outstretched on a wall with your palm flat. Hold your arm still and move your body forwards in a straight line so that your shoulder feels like it is being pushed backwards, ensuring you keep your elbow straight. Then push back off the wall so that your shoulder moves forwards again. Imagine your shoulder blade curving around your rib cage and coming back again.

Repetitions: 3 x 10-15

Amount: 1-2 per day

4-point Scapular Push-Up

Difficulty: medium-hard

4 pt Scap Pushup 14 pt Scap Pushup 2

Get onto all fours and ensure that your knees are directly under your hips, your hands are directly under your shoulders and your legs are parallel to each other. Ensure that your elbows remain straight as you lower your torso towards the ground, pinching your shoulder blades together (you will only move a few centimeters!). Push back against the floor so your shoulder move forward and shoulder blades begin to separate. Imagine your shoulder blades curving around your rib cage and coming back again.

Repetitions: 3 x 10-15

Amount: 1-2 per day

Single Arm Split Stance Press

Difficulty: medium-hard

Arm splits

Stand facing away from the theraband (or cable machine) in a split stance position with the opposite leg to the working arm forward. Ensure that you stabilize through your core as you push out in a punch-like manner against the resistance of the theraband. Ensure there is minimal twisting of the torso. Return to the starting position and continue with the same arm. Swap stance legs and complete with the other arm

Repetitions: 3 x 8-12 each arm

Amount: 1-2 per day

Scapular Push-up (also known as Push-Up Plus)

Difficulty: hard

Scap PushupScap pushup 2

Get into a push-up/plank position and ensure your hands are directly under your shoulders. Ensure that that your elbows remain straight as you lower your torso towards the ground, pinching your shoulder blades together (you will only move a few centimeters!). Push back against the floor so your shoulder move forward and shoulder blades begin to separate. Imagine your shoulder blades curving around your rib cage and coming back again.

Repetitions: 3 x 10-15

Amount: 1-2 per day

 

Unfortunately there isn’t one simple answer to improving posture and alleviating neck pain. You may need to consider your workstation and the correct desk set up (link to other blog here), specific stretches (link to desk stretches here) and of course specific strength exercises.

 

 

(1) Hogg-Johnson, S., Van Der Velde, G., Carroll, L. J., Holm, L. W., Cassidy, J. D., Guzman, J., … & Hurwitz, E. (2008). The burden and determinants of neck pain in the general population. European Spine Journal, 17(1), 39-51.
(2) Hakala, P. T., Rimpelä, A. H., Saarni, L. A., & Salminen, J. J. (2006). Frequent computer-related activities increase the risk of neck–shoulder and low back pain in adolescents. The European Journal of Public Health, 16(5), 536-541.

About Jenna Cartwright

Jenna graduated from the University of Canberra with a Masters of Physiotherapy after completing a Bachelor of Applied Science in Human Biology. Her special interests include the rehabilitation of sporting injuries, post-operative rehabilitation, women's health and pilates. Jenna is a keen hockey player and is a current member of the ACT Academy of Sport and represents for the ACT Strikers. Outside of work and training she also enjoys reading, knitting and surrounding herself with family and friends.