Muscle Monday 7: Rotator Cuff Series pt. 4: Subscapularis

Last but not least in our rotator cuff series is the subscapularis. Shown here is an anterior (fro nt) view of the humerus and scapula, showing subscapularis’ position tucked between the rib cage and the scapula. You may be catching on to how some of these muscles are named by now with sub=under and scapula=scapula.

With injury, subscapularis is most often injured with one or more other of the rotator cuff muscles, but like with our other rotator cuff muscles, it is most often injured during throwing movements.

The subscapularis is an external rotator, so this is another muscle that gets very tight in most people from having their shoulders rounded forward (internally rotated), so most people can benefit from having this muscle released. Afterwards, you may have a sensation of your arms feeling lighter, and you may notice a slight improvement in your posture right away. You can maintain this

It is possible to release this muscle through massage, but it can be uncomfortable and it takes time to work through the layers since it is so deep. It involves working through the client’s axilla (armpit) to get at the underside of the scapula, then incorporating some gentle compression and then pin-and-stretch and muscle energy techniques. With most of my clients being strength athletes, I'm confident that most won't have a problem with some more painful techniques in order to improve range of motion and performance. You guys can be really tough! If this is something you think you could benefit from, let me know and we can book an appointment :)

Thank you for reading, and if you’ve found my posts to be informative and interesting please let me know in the comments! If you have any questions or if you’d like to request a muscle, just leave a comment.

I can be reached for bookings by calling or texting 403-402-4032 or emailing hello@andreamelitomassage.com