How to achieve proper shoulder alignment

Today, I'd like to clear up a common shoulder misconception. Many of us have heard instructions like 'relax your shoulders away from your ears,' 'slide your shoulder blades down your back,' or even 'press your shoulders down.' These are well-intended instructions that I think aim to combat tension in the upper trapezius muscles. Yet they often backfire and create even more tightness in these pesky muscles. Let's look at why.

First, the anatomy. The shoulder girdle is comprised of three bones: the upper arm bone (humerus), shoulder blade (scapula) and collarbone (clavicle) that work together to move the arm. The inherently unstable shoulder joint is supported by the rotator cuff, a group of four muscles that each have a unique action on the shoulder. The acronym SITS is used for the muscles of the rotator cuff: subscapularis, infraspinatus, teres minor, and supraspinatus. The infraspinatus and teres minor are responsible for externally rotating the humerus, and are often weak. The subscapularis is a strong internal rotator, and the supraspinatus is the most commonly injured rotator cuff muscle. It is responsible for arm adduction as in Warrior II, and also stabilizing the humeral head, preventing subluxation.

Our modern, screen-oriented lifestyle tends to draw the upper arm bones forward and down, rotating them internally. This tightens the chest and frontal shoulders muscles, flattens the neck curve, and creates tension in the muscles of the upper back and neck. It also causes the upper fibers of the trapezius muscles to seize on either side of the base of the neck and shoulders. Those of us who work a desk job are often all too familiar with chronic tightness of the upper body, and may seek massage therapy to work out those knots, and yoga to increase flexibility.

However, unless we address this faulty rotational pattern, we're missing the structural cause and won't get to the root of the problem.

An easy way to observe your shoulder position and rotation is by performing mountain pose. Stand with your feet hip width, and relax your arms and shoulders completely, gently shaking them, and let them hang at your sides. Ideal shoulder alignment is observed with the tops of the upper arm bones square across with the base of the neck, and the arms should hang at rest with your elbow crease facing forward, and the palm of the hand facing your body.

Observe if one shoulder is more dropped and forward in placement, and notice if one palm spins more to face the back of your body, with its elbow crease turning in instead of forward. That dropped and internally rotated shoulder generally tends to be the one that hurts (or cranky elbow, or painful wrist, or tense neck, as that shoulder misalignment can often refer pain up or down the arm). The last thing you'll want to do is press that shoulder 'down your back.' Instead, take a huge breath in, lifting your rib cage with the deep muscles of the torso, and keep that inner lift so your shoulders are more square across your back. Externally rotate your arm so the elbow crease points directly forward and your palm faces the side of your body.

In the video below, I show some of the simple observational techniques for the shoulder joint, and the low-stakes yoga pose (bridge) in which I commonly observe students depressing the shoulder girdle. When the alignment is clear, bridge can be a great pose for shoulder.

Next month we'll apply this to weight-bearing yoga poses, and look at plank pose, low plank, down dog and up dog, and how to transition among these for optimal shoulder health.

Justicia DeClue (E-RYT 500) has been teaching since 2005 and is the owner and director of Maha Yoga in Philadelphia. She is most sought after for her detailed alignment instruction and open-hearted teaching style. She really loves Instagram, and can also be found on Facebook.