SHOULDERS, BACK, AND CHEST

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Shoulder, Back, and Chest Muscle Movements

The stretches in this chapter are excellent overall stretches; however, not all of these stretches may be completely suited to each persons needs. The muscles involved in the various shoulder and upper chest and back movements appear in the following table. To stretch specic muscles, the stretch must involve one or more movements in the opposite direction of the desired muscles movements. For example, if you want to stretch the serratus anterior, you could perform a movement that involves shoulder depression, shoulder retraction, and shoulder adduction. When a muscle has a high level of stiffness, you should use very few simultaneous opposite movements (for example, to stretch a very tight pectoralis major, you would start by doing shoulder extension and external rotation). As a muscle becomes loose, you can incorporate more simultaneous opposite movements.

Depression Trapezius Pectoralis major Latissimus dorsi Pectoralis minor

Elevation

Levator scapulae

Serratus anterior

Protraction Retraction E3469/Nelson/2.07a/274054/JasonMc/R1

Trapezius

Levator scapulae

Rhomboids Serratus anterior Latissimus dorsi

E3469/Nelson/2.07b/274055/JasonMc/R1

External rotation Deltoid

Internal rotation Deltoid

Teres minor Infraspinatus

Pectoralis major Teres major Latissimus dorsi

E3469/Nelson/2.07C/274056/JasonMc/R1

Adduction Deltoid Infraspinatus Teres minor Teres major Latissimus dorsi Pectoralis major Trapezius

Abduction

Serratus anterior

E3469/Nelson/2.07d/274057/JasonMc/R1 Extension Deltoid Biceps brachii Pectoralis major Flexion

Deltoid Triceps brachii Latissimus dorsi

E3469/Nelson/2.07e/274058/JasonMc/R1

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