September 13, 2013, 12:00AM PT in Exam Preparation Blog |
Muscles That Move the Scapulae
As a fitness professional and an exam candidate, there is no way of getting around the fact that you need to know your anatomy! Understanding how the body moves and creates movement with the muscles is a huge part of the job.
In an earlier blog, we looked at how to study anatomy. Next we’ll start breaking down the different body parts, beginning with the muscles that move the scapulae.
The scapula, commonly referred to as the shoulder blade, is the bone that attaches to the back of your rib cage. It is the bone that creates the shoulder joint with the upper arm, called the humerus bone.
The scapulae can move in six actions and each action has primary muscles that create that action.
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Action of the Scapula
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What the Action Looks Like (Move Your Body!)
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Primary Muscles
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Elevation of the scapula
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Lifting your shoulders to your ears
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Upper trapezius
levator scapulae
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Depression of the scapula
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Pressing your shoulders down
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Lower trapezius
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Retraction (adduction) of the scapula
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Pinching your shoulder blades together
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Rhomboids
middle trapezius
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Protraction (abduction) of the scapula
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Forward rounding shoulders
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Serratus anterior
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Upward rotation of the scapula
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Lifting arms above head, scapulae rotate up
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Upper and middle trapezius
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Downward rotation of the scapula
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Occurs only when you lower your arms
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Rhomboids
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A helpful way to learn the muscles is to get up out of your chair and move and mimic the actions for the muscles you are learning that week. Look at the picture of the muscle, find it on your body, and picture how the muscle is contracting and what muscles are involved in the movement. Make the muscle contract and complete the different actions that muscle is involved in.
Stay tuned for our next blog in this series, which will discuss the muscles that move the arm. If you have any additional questions that were not answered in this blog, please don’t hesitate to contact our Resource Center at 1-888-825-3636 ext. 796 or resource@acefitness.org.