The Shoulder Blade
The scientific term for what we commonly call the “shoulder blade” is scapula. Anatomical language borrows heavily from Latin and Greek, and scapula is Latin for “shoulder blade.” The plural form is scapulae.
The scapulae are unique bones in our body — we have two of them, one on each side. Each scapula is a roughly triangular bone, relatively thin from front to back, and about the size of your flat hand. One side is smooth, while the other is more irregular with ridges and bumps.
The scapulae sit on the upper half of your back, on either side of the spine, with their smooth surface facing the ribcage. Their main function is to attach the arms to the torso — your arm connects to your scapula, which connects to your collarbone, which then connects to your trunk. Cool, right?
Another key role of the scapulae is to allow your arms to move freely in many directions and through large ranges of motion. Wherever your scapula goes, your shoulder and arm follow.
Your scapulae can:
During all these movements, the scapulae are actually gliding over the ribcage! Imagine a toboggan sliding over a set of railroad tracks — the tracks represent your ribs, and the toboggan your scapula. In healthy, well-functioning movement, the scapulae glide freely in every direction. But for many of us, they can become a bit “stuck,” favoring certain movements and resisting others. That’s where massage therapy can help.
Each scapula serves as an anchor point for 17 different muscles. Generally, muscles connect one bone to another — the space between them forming a joint (the movable kind, like your knee, wrist, or shoulder). The muscles attaching to the scapula connect it to various other bones, including the upper arm (humerus), ribs, spine, neck, and even the skull.
Ideally, the scapulae rest in a neutral position — not too high (a common source of tension and headaches), not too low (rare), not too far forward and wide (very common with rounded shoulders), and not pulled too close to the spine (seen in very upright, flat-backed postures).
Through massage, we work to release and soften the muscles surrounding the scapula that are tight or overactive, helping restore ease and mobility. The goal is to help your shoulder blades move more freely — through a greater range of motion, with more comfort, and often, less pain.
The scapulae are unique bones in our body — we have two of them, one on each side. Each scapula is a roughly triangular bone, relatively thin from front to back, and about the size of your flat hand. One side is smooth, while the other is more irregular with ridges and bumps.
The scapulae sit on the upper half of your back, on either side of the spine, with their smooth surface facing the ribcage. Their main function is to attach the arms to the torso — your arm connects to your scapula, which connects to your collarbone, which then connects to your trunk. Cool, right?
Another key role of the scapulae is to allow your arms to move freely in many directions and through large ranges of motion. Wherever your scapula goes, your shoulder and arm follow.
Your scapulae can:
- Slide upward (as when you shrug your shoulders in an “I don’t know” gesture)
- Slide downward (as when carrying a heavy backpack or bags)
- Slide outward, away from the spine (as in a slouched, forward-shouldered posture at a computer or phone)
- Slide inward, toward the spine (as when pulling your shoulders back and opening your chest)
During all these movements, the scapulae are actually gliding over the ribcage! Imagine a toboggan sliding over a set of railroad tracks — the tracks represent your ribs, and the toboggan your scapula. In healthy, well-functioning movement, the scapulae glide freely in every direction. But for many of us, they can become a bit “stuck,” favoring certain movements and resisting others. That’s where massage therapy can help.
Each scapula serves as an anchor point for 17 different muscles. Generally, muscles connect one bone to another — the space between them forming a joint (the movable kind, like your knee, wrist, or shoulder). The muscles attaching to the scapula connect it to various other bones, including the upper arm (humerus), ribs, spine, neck, and even the skull.
Ideally, the scapulae rest in a neutral position — not too high (a common source of tension and headaches), not too low (rare), not too far forward and wide (very common with rounded shoulders), and not pulled too close to the spine (seen in very upright, flat-backed postures).
Through massage, we work to release and soften the muscles surrounding the scapula that are tight or overactive, helping restore ease and mobility. The goal is to help your shoulder blades move more freely — through a greater range of motion, with more comfort, and often, less pain.