For the life of me I can’t retract my left scapula

[rachelm2535]

I can retract my right scapula but not my left, and the difference is clear. When I try to retract my left scapula my neck (scalenes?) gets tight and my left rib cage hurts after a while, like it’s tight. I also don’t feel my left lower trap. When I sit up straight on a chair and bring my sternum up as a thoracic extension exercise, only the right lower traps ache after some time, I don’t even feel the left. No amount of serratus anterior strengthening, y, w, t raises has helped with my left, but they do really improved my right. It’s like there’s an unknown bottleneck to my left side. I do this routine by Strength Side daily but I STILL can’t retract my left scapula. If anything it only made my right scapula retraction even better. Doing this Magic Move was the closest I ever felt the retraction similar to my right, but I could only do two very effortful “magic move” before my muscle gets tired and can’t do it again. On the following days I couldn’t do the same. The only thing I could think of is to do with the rib cage. Any help I will be grateful!

 

[cfitz]

@rachelm2535 I get confused by your terminology since serratus anterior causes scapula protraction.

But you use the term scapular retraction. Scapular retraction is the action of the middle/lower traps and rhomboids.

Which action do you want to work on?

 

[rachelm2535]

@cfitz Scapular retraction. It feels tight at the neck and the rib cage area when I try to pull back. I mentioned the serratus anterior work as my broscience line of thinking was that working on the protraction can lead to improvement in the retraction.

 

[jeffr0x]

@rachelm2535 My daughter injured her elbow but it ended up traveling up into her shoulder and causing scar tissue which limited her movement several years later. We did not make the connection until her pediatrician (who she was still seeing) was going over her previous injuries and feeling the scar tissue and made the connection. It helped her by going to PT where they worked on the scar tissue with massage and then she also worked on strength exercises. Maybe a previous injury has caused something like that for you?