T
TheoryChad
Iron
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2025
- Posts
- 5
- Reputation
- 3
Good night,
also sorry for the mess
Note: this is only from a physio and biomechanics perspective. This is also not intended as medical advice. Do your own research.
As most of us know, clavicle length is genetically fixed. After the growth plates (epiphyseal plates) of the clavicle close, typically by age 25, the bone can no longer elongate. This condition has led to the widespread belief that shoulder width and clavicle position are unchangeable after adolescence. which means it's over.
However, that doesn't mean we can't move them, and yes, without surgery.
While the clavicle’s length is indeed fixed, its resting angle, tilt, and prominence are highly adaptable because the clavicle is not a rigidly fixed bone. It acts as a strut between the sternum and scapula, suspended and stabilized by dynamic structures: the ribcage, thoracic spine, and surrounding muscles and fascia. This means its position is a product of the structures it connects to, and those can be remodeled.
How:
this is just a simple theory but will work if you aren't sped and have a basic understanding of why your body looks as it does.
Since yall are sped and wanted me to make a method. I will be writing a very long method with complete understanding of what you're going to do so you gain a few brain cells.
Ahem
The clavicle can elevate/depress, protract/retract, and axially rotate because the SC joint lets the inner end glide with the sternum and the AC joint lets the outer end follow the scapula. If your sternum is living high and your ribs are flared, the inner end rides up and forward. If your scapula rests tipped forward and down, the outer end follows into a pointy, angled line. None of this is permanent; it can change, you just let yourselves be cooked.
3 things to look forward to.
Time to rest everything. the serratus
This is how. And it's daily. FYI
Do this every day. This makes the rest of your training work actually work, “priming”
Ok, breathing exercises are number 1. They help your core control and overall breathing, which helps with everything. Don't underestimate the priority of this.
Start with 90/90 Hip Lift + Reach. On your back, feet on a wall or a box, hips/knees bent. Exhale slowly through your mouth until your ribs actually drop and your abs get soft and wide rather than braced and hard. Keep a tiny pause at the end of the exhale without straining, then inhale quietly through your nose without popping the ribs back up. While you breathe, reach your arms just enough to feel the shoulder blades wrap around the ribs. You should feel the side ribs working; your neck should be calm. Note your lower back must be flushed on the ground the entire time.
Follow with soft anterior chest work. A light pec-minor doorway stretch or a ball against the wall is enough. Don't go crazy hard; this makes it so the coracoid stops getting yanked forward and down all day.
If you feel stuck high at the top of the shoulder, do a gentle first-rib decompression: lie with a folded towel under the upper trap area and breathe. No forcing, no digging. The goal is to reduce the upward bias, not to bully the area.
Stand up for forearm wall slides. Slide to just beyond shoulder height, ribs quiet, chin gently tucked. At the top, add a whisper of reach so the blades glide; do not let your ears rise. Quality beats height.
Finish with scapular push-ups. Elbows stay straight. Only the shoulder blades move apart (protraction) and together (retraction). Feel the serratus do the work, not your neck.
Now you have everything nice, and you're still cooked. But not yet.
Note: if you have a type 2 shoulder impingement (burning pain at the back of your shoulder, aka rear delts, this will help).
OK now next level (3 days/week)
Open the mid-back with thoracic extension over a roller without cranking your low back. Exhale into the extension so the ribs drop even as the mid-back opens, then inhale into the back of the ribs.
Train lower trap with controlled prone Y raises. Pause at the top long enough to feel the lower angles of the shoulder blades tip back (posterior tilt). If your neck wants to own it, lower the range and go slower.
Reinforce with cable face-pulls finishing into a soft overhead Y. The blades should rotate up and slightly out while your ears stay where they belong. If you shrug, it doesn’t count.
Practice wall slides with a tiny lift-off near the top. That small lift-off teaches posterior tilt and sets up better AC mechanics.
Add sidelying external rotation with a towel under the elbow so the humeral head stays centered. Lightweight, smooth tempo. You’re building cuff endurance, not maxing out.
Deep neck-flexor nods (clean chin-tuck). You want a long back of the neck and a sliding feeling at the skull base, not a jam. Quiet neck equals cleaner specular motion.
Now how to lift while also aiding yourself and not sabotaging, (this will help with gains too)
Use chest-supported rows with neutral or wide grips. Finish each rep with a hint of protraction at the top rather than smashing your shoulder blades together and flaring the ribs. You’re trying to keep serratus in the conversation.
On presses, allow a modest arch (i prefer no arch, back flat; however, if you have crunchy scapula or shoulder pain, or an overreactive front delt or lower pec have a modest arch), but don’t let the ribs pop. Incline DB with slow eccentrics is gas because it asks for upward rotation without inviting a shrug.
On pulldowns/overhead pulling, let the blades glide and protract at the top. Don’t rip the lats into hard depression right away; you need upward rotation first, depression later.
Heavy shrugs can wait. If you do them, treat them as serratus shrugs: the shoulders rise while the blades wrap forward a touch and the neck stays calm. If your ears climb, you just trained the thing you’re trying to un-train.
Equipment
Now sleep
Short answer: sleep can help (or sabotage) your work through five levers—recovery/anabolism, motor learning, autonomic tone, pain/guarding, and the rib-cage/diaphragm.
The “reset + control” drills you’re doing (serratus/lower-trap patterns, quiet ribs) are motor skills. Sleep after practice improves consolidation and retention of new motor programs, helping those scapular/rib mechanics stick from day to day. Conversely, poor sleep blunts consolidation, so you keep “re-learning” the same positions.
Simplified:
Protect 7-9 hours, especially on heavy skill days (overhead/control work). Practice your reset, then sleep; this timing favors consolidation.
Keep evenings parasympathetic: slow nasal breathing (4-6 breaths/min) or your 90/90 exhale-reach as a pre-bed downshift to lower sympathetic tone.
1;
Sleep posture: side-lying or supine with head/neck neutral and one pillow supporting the neck (not pushing the head forward). Aim to keep ribs “quiet” (low sternum) rather than propped into chest-breathing all night. (Rationale from thorax/diaphragm posture studies.)
If shoulder pain wakes you, treat that first (modify volume/angles; gentle pec-minor work before bed). Addressing pain improves sleep; better sleep improves motor control-virtuous cycle.
Weeks 3–4 Keep the reset daily and increase the work in angles that reward upward rotation and a quiet ribcage: incline presses, landmine presses with a reach, one-arm cable rows that finish without rib flare, pulldown variants that allow full, relaxed top position.
Weeks 5–8 The reset is still non-negotiable but shorter. Push progressive overload inside the technique you earned. If video shows rib flare or neck shrugging or if you feel it, lower the load, change the angle, or insert a teaching drill between sets to bring the bias back.
Roadblocks and fixes
Breathing is number 1; if it's not fixed and do everything else, then you're cooked…… dont rush the exhale or replace it with a crunch. You want a long, quiet exhale that lowers the sternum and narrows the ribs without force (aka try to mimic fogging up a mirror with every last ounce of breath). How to measure it. Take a picture at the same height, same angle, and same distance from the camera, and measure it with a ruler on your phone or a protractor. Take notes on how you felt ex: ribs popped up at the end, used my neck, and how you felt about the exercise. Everything here will work where you can't see, and then it will show on the outside.
Real timeline
Immediate: small visual change right after each reset.
Two to four weeks: a steadier look at rest.
Six to eight weeks: the look holds with almost no thinking—because the platform, steering, and tone now default to a better place.
Simplified kinetic chain:
note this is not a complete full-body diagnostic, or medical advice
GROUND CONTACT
└─ Foot/Ankle (tripod, subtalar)
├─ Peroneals ↔ Tibial IR/ER control
└─ Short‑foot → Arch (intrinsics)
└─
PELVIC COMPLEX
└─ Tibia/Femur → Hip (IR/ER, adductors, glute max/med)
├─ Deep Longitudinal Line (peroneals → biceps femoris → sacrotuberous lig. → TL fascia → erectors)
├─ Anterior Oblique Sling (EO ↔ contralat IO/TrA ↔ adductors)
└─ Posterior Oblique Sling (glute max ↔ TL fascia ↔ contralat lat/serratus)
└─
THORAX & PRESSURIZATION
└─ Pelvic Floor ↔ Diaphragm ↔ TVA (IAP)
├─ Rib position (sternal angle, lower‑rib breadth)
└─ Thoracic Mobility (extension + **rotation**)
└─
SCAPULOTHORACIC COMPLEX
└─ Serratus Anterior / Lower Trap / Mid Trap (UR, post tilt, ER)
├─ Rotator Cuff balance (ER/IR) + Posterior capsule tone
├─ Lat & Pec minor (manage dominance; do not over‑depress early)
└─ Subclavius (quiet stabilization; avoid over‑drive)
└─
CLAVICULAR JOINTS
└─ SC Joint (elevation/depression, pro/ret, axial rot)
└─ AC Joint (UR/DR coupling, ant/post tilt)
└─
DISTAL DRIVERS & NEURO TONE
└─ Hand/Grip irradiation (smart grip, not white‑knuckle)
└─ TMJ/Jaw ↔ Hyoid (clench = SCM/scalene over‑tone → 1st rib)
└─ Vision/Vestibular (gaze level affects levator/suboccipitals)
└─ Gait/Reciprocal Rotation (arm swing symmetry)
Helpful links https://medicine.missouri.edu/sites...al_Kinesiology_shoulder_burris.pdf?utm_source
also sorry for the mess
Note: this is only from a physio and biomechanics perspective. This is also not intended as medical advice. Do your own research.
As most of us know, clavicle length is genetically fixed. After the growth plates (epiphyseal plates) of the clavicle close, typically by age 25, the bone can no longer elongate. This condition has led to the widespread belief that shoulder width and clavicle position are unchangeable after adolescence. which means it's over.
However, that doesn't mean we can't move them, and yes, without surgery.
While the clavicle’s length is indeed fixed, its resting angle, tilt, and prominence are highly adaptable because the clavicle is not a rigidly fixed bone. It acts as a strut between the sternum and scapula, suspended and stabilized by dynamic structures: the ribcage, thoracic spine, and surrounding muscles and fascia. This means its position is a product of the structures it connects to, and those can be remodeled.
How:
- Ribcage orientation—Excessive anterior pelvic tilt or rib flare causes the sternum to protrude and the sternal end of the clavicle to elevate and rotate forward.
- Scapular mechanics—Winging, downward rotation, or anterior tilt of the scapula pulls the acromial end of the clavicle out of alignment.
- Muscle and fascial tone—Chronically shortened or overactive muscles such as the subclavius, pectoralis minor, sternocleidomastoid, and upper trapezius can elevate or tilt the clavicle into a dysfunctional position.
At the same time, muscles that anchor or depress the clavicle—like the lower trapezius, latissimus dorsi, and even the subclavius—can contribute to pulling it downward or stabilizing it in a more neutral alignment when properly recruited. The net tension across these muscle groups determines where the clavicle “rests” at baseline.
this is just a simple theory but will work if you aren't sped and have a basic understanding of why your body looks as it does.
Since yall are sped and wanted me to make a method. I will be writing a very long method with complete understanding of what you're going to do so you gain a few brain cells.
Ahem
The clavicle can elevate/depress, protract/retract, and axially rotate because the SC joint lets the inner end glide with the sternum and the AC joint lets the outer end follow the scapula. If your sternum is living high and your ribs are flared, the inner end rides up and forward. If your scapula rests tipped forward and down, the outer end follows into a pointy, angled line. None of this is permanent; it can change, you just let yourselves be cooked.
3 things to look forward to.
- Ur resetting the thorax (aka spine and ribcage).
- Fixing your scapula
- Muscle and fascial tone (imporant)
- Ribcage orientation
- Big rib flare and a lifted sternum make the collarbones look sharp. Quiet ribs with a full exhale make them look flatter.
- Scapular mechanics
- A scapula that can upwardly rotate, posteriorly tilt, and slightly externally rotate (with a little protraction) sets the AC end in a better place.
- Muscle and fascial tone
- Front-side “tethers” (pec minor, subclavius, scalenes/SCM) and top-side “hikers” (upper trap/levator) often hold the girdle up and forward. The “late arrivals” are usually serratus anterior, lower/mid trap, cuff (infraspinatus/teres minor), deep neck flexors, and mid-thoracic extensors. Turn the overactive ones down, turn the underactive ones up, and the clavicle’s baseline shifts.
Time to rest everything. the serratus
This is how. And it's daily. FYI
Do this every day. This makes the rest of your training work actually work, “priming”
Ok, breathing exercises are number 1. They help your core control and overall breathing, which helps with everything. Don't underestimate the priority of this.
Start with 90/90 Hip Lift + Reach. On your back, feet on a wall or a box, hips/knees bent. Exhale slowly through your mouth until your ribs actually drop and your abs get soft and wide rather than braced and hard. Keep a tiny pause at the end of the exhale without straining, then inhale quietly through your nose without popping the ribs back up. While you breathe, reach your arms just enough to feel the shoulder blades wrap around the ribs. You should feel the side ribs working; your neck should be calm. Note your lower back must be flushed on the ground the entire time.
Follow with soft anterior chest work. A light pec-minor doorway stretch or a ball against the wall is enough. Don't go crazy hard; this makes it so the coracoid stops getting yanked forward and down all day.
If you feel stuck high at the top of the shoulder, do a gentle first-rib decompression: lie with a folded towel under the upper trap area and breathe. No forcing, no digging. The goal is to reduce the upward bias, not to bully the area.
Stand up for forearm wall slides. Slide to just beyond shoulder height, ribs quiet, chin gently tucked. At the top, add a whisper of reach so the blades glide; do not let your ears rise. Quality beats height.
Finish with scapular push-ups. Elbows stay straight. Only the shoulder blades move apart (protraction) and together (retraction). Feel the serratus do the work, not your neck.
Now you have everything nice, and you're still cooked. But not yet.
Note: if you have a type 2 shoulder impingement (burning pain at the back of your shoulder, aka rear delts, this will help).
OK now next level (3 days/week)
Open the mid-back with thoracic extension over a roller without cranking your low back. Exhale into the extension so the ribs drop even as the mid-back opens, then inhale into the back of the ribs.
Train lower trap with controlled prone Y raises. Pause at the top long enough to feel the lower angles of the shoulder blades tip back (posterior tilt). If your neck wants to own it, lower the range and go slower.
Reinforce with cable face-pulls finishing into a soft overhead Y. The blades should rotate up and slightly out while your ears stay where they belong. If you shrug, it doesn’t count.
Practice wall slides with a tiny lift-off near the top. That small lift-off teaches posterior tilt and sets up better AC mechanics.
Add sidelying external rotation with a towel under the elbow so the humeral head stays centered. Lightweight, smooth tempo. You’re building cuff endurance, not maxing out.
Deep neck-flexor nods (clean chin-tuck). You want a long back of the neck and a sliding feeling at the skull base, not a jam. Quiet neck equals cleaner specular motion.
Now how to lift while also aiding yourself and not sabotaging, (this will help with gains too)
Use chest-supported rows with neutral or wide grips. Finish each rep with a hint of protraction at the top rather than smashing your shoulder blades together and flaring the ribs. You’re trying to keep serratus in the conversation.
On presses, allow a modest arch (i prefer no arch, back flat; however, if you have crunchy scapula or shoulder pain, or an overreactive front delt or lower pec have a modest arch), but don’t let the ribs pop. Incline DB with slow eccentrics is gas because it asks for upward rotation without inviting a shrug.
On pulldowns/overhead pulling, let the blades glide and protract at the top. Don’t rip the lats into hard depression right away; you need upward rotation first, depression later.
Heavy shrugs can wait. If you do them, treat them as serratus shrugs: the shoulders rise while the blades wrap forward a touch and the neck stays calm. If your ears climb, you just trained the thing you’re trying to un-train.
Equipment
- Half foam roller (the flat-bottom one) - must-have. It gives your mid-back a steady base so you can exhale the ribs down (90/90 Hip Lift + Reach), then hit forearm wall slides without cheating into a low-back arch. Bonus: quick, reliable short-term ROM bump you can “lock in” with wall slides and push-up plus right after.
- Mini loop band. Around wrists/forearms during wall slides or serratus reaches to cue light protraction (no shrug) and reinforce the serratus + lower-trap force couple you’re training.
- Long resistance band (or cable). For face-pull → soft “Y” and band-resisted wall slides—these teach posterior tilt + upward rotation that carry into prone Y and your pulling days.
- Massage ball + doorframe. Brief pec-minor work (ball) followed by a doorway stretch before slides; a short PM is linked to less posterior tilt/more IR, so calming it makes your tilt cue land. Do this, then re-run wall slides or sidelying ER.
- Towel/block. Under the elbow for sidelying ER (keeps the humeral head centered) or under the rib cage/diaphragm: for a gentle unload while you breathe (preps you for clean, deep neck-flexor nods).
Now sleep
Short answer: sleep can help (or sabotage) your work through five levers—recovery/anabolism, motor learning, autonomic tone, pain/guarding, and the rib-cage/diaphragm.
- Recovery & anabolism:
The “reset + control” drills you’re doing (serratus/lower-trap patterns, quiet ribs) are motor skills. Sleep after practice improves consolidation and retention of new motor programs, helping those scapular/rib mechanics stick from day to day. Conversely, poor sleep blunts consolidation, so you keep “re-learning” the same positions.
- Autonomic tone (stress vs. calm):
- Pain, guarding, and injury risk:
- The rib cage/diaphragm:
Simplified:
Protect 7-9 hours, especially on heavy skill days (overhead/control work). Practice your reset, then sleep; this timing favors consolidation.
Keep evenings parasympathetic: slow nasal breathing (4-6 breaths/min) or your 90/90 exhale-reach as a pre-bed downshift to lower sympathetic tone.
1;
Sleep posture: side-lying or supine with head/neck neutral and one pillow supporting the neck (not pushing the head forward). Aim to keep ribs “quiet” (low sternum) rather than propped into chest-breathing all night. (Rationale from thorax/diaphragm posture studies.)
If shoulder pain wakes you, treat that first (modify volume/angles; gentle pec-minor work before bed). Addressing pain improves sleep; better sleep improves motor control-virtuous cycle.
Timeline ish
Wuntrain is about feeling. Keep the reset daily, keep loads honest, and collect obvious wins: easier overhead position, less neck noise, notice very little change.Weeks 3–4 Keep the reset daily and increase the work in angles that reward upward rotation and a quiet ribcage: incline presses, landmine presses with a reach, one-arm cable rows that finish without rib flare, pulldown variants that allow full, relaxed top position.
Weeks 5–8 The reset is still non-negotiable but shorter. Push progressive overload inside the technique you earned. If video shows rib flare or neck shrugging or if you feel it, lower the load, change the angle, or insert a teaching drill between sets to bring the bias back.
What to feel and how to cue it
During the exhale you should feel the lower ribs drop under your hands and your abdomen widen. If your neck tightens or your chest pops, you missed it. During the reach, you should feel the side ribs and a gentle wrap of the blades, not a shrug. During Y’s and wall slides, you should feel the lower blade tipping back, not your low back arching. During contralateral rotation, the back of the shoulder should wake up without the front pinching. If you can’t find it, slow down, shrink the range to where it’s clean, and breathe softer. Your nervous system learns position under calm, not under panic.Roadblocks and fixes
Breathing is number 1; if it's not fixed and do everything else, then you're cooked…… dont rush the exhale or replace it with a crunch. You want a long, quiet exhale that lowers the sternum and narrows the ribs without force (aka try to mimic fogging up a mirror with every last ounce of breath). How to measure it. Take a picture at the same height, same angle, and same distance from the camera, and measure it with a ruler on your phone or a protractor. Take notes on how you felt ex: ribs popped up at the end, used my neck, and how you felt about the exercise. Everything here will work where you can't see, and then it will show on the outside.
Real timeline
Immediate: small visual change right after each reset.
Two to four weeks: a steadier look at rest.
Six to eight weeks: the look holds with almost no thinking—because the platform, steering, and tone now default to a better place.
Simplified kinetic chain:
note this is not a complete full-body diagnostic, or medical advice
GROUND CONTACT
└─ Foot/Ankle (tripod, subtalar)
├─ Peroneals ↔ Tibial IR/ER control
└─ Short‑foot → Arch (intrinsics)
└─
PELVIC COMPLEX
└─ Tibia/Femur → Hip (IR/ER, adductors, glute max/med)
├─ Deep Longitudinal Line (peroneals → biceps femoris → sacrotuberous lig. → TL fascia → erectors)
├─ Anterior Oblique Sling (EO ↔ contralat IO/TrA ↔ adductors)
└─ Posterior Oblique Sling (glute max ↔ TL fascia ↔ contralat lat/serratus)
└─
THORAX & PRESSURIZATION
└─ Pelvic Floor ↔ Diaphragm ↔ TVA (IAP)
├─ Rib position (sternal angle, lower‑rib breadth)
└─ Thoracic Mobility (extension + **rotation**)
└─
SCAPULOTHORACIC COMPLEX
└─ Serratus Anterior / Lower Trap / Mid Trap (UR, post tilt, ER)
├─ Rotator Cuff balance (ER/IR) + Posterior capsule tone
├─ Lat & Pec minor (manage dominance; do not over‑depress early)
└─ Subclavius (quiet stabilization; avoid over‑drive)
└─
CLAVICULAR JOINTS
└─ SC Joint (elevation/depression, pro/ret, axial rot)
└─ AC Joint (UR/DR coupling, ant/post tilt)
└─
DISTAL DRIVERS & NEURO TONE
└─ Hand/Grip irradiation (smart grip, not white‑knuckle)
└─ TMJ/Jaw ↔ Hyoid (clench = SCM/scalene over‑tone → 1st rib)
└─ Vision/Vestibular (gaze level affects levator/suboccipitals)
└─ Gait/Reciprocal Rotation (arm swing symmetry)
Helpful links https://medicine.missouri.edu/sites...al_Kinesiology_shoulder_burris.pdf?utm_source
Clavicle + joints (bone, ligaments, layout)
- Gray’s: human clavicle with muscle attachments (great opener; PD). Wikimedia Commons
- Gray’s: sternoclavicular (SC) articulation, anterior view (PD). Wikimedia Commons
- Gray’s: AC joint + “proper ligaments of the scapula” (PD). Wikimedia Commons
- Shoulder joint layered SVG (nice, clean labels; editable). Wikimedia Commons
- Pectoral girdles SVG (clavicle + scapula overview; NCI vector). Wikimedia Commons
- Gray’s: clavicular articular facet of acromion (focus on AC surface; PD). Wikimedia Commons
Scapula kinematics (upward rotation, posterior tilt, rhythm)
- Scapulothoracic joint page (resting angles + motions). Orthobullets
- Scapulohumeral rhythm overview (UR, posterior tilt, ER). Physiopedia
- Scapulothoracic joint explainer (ST motion tied to SC/AC; diagrams). Physiopedia
- “Scapular motions” figure (UR/DR, IR/ER, ant/post tilt)—good 3-view sketch. ResearchGate
- Functional kinesiology PDF slides (posterior tilt notes, rhythm). MU School of Medicine
- 2024 study with “scapular posterior tilting exercise” figure. BioMed Central
Key muscles to turn down (front/top)
- Pectoralis minor (diagram). Wikimedia Commons
- Subclavius (Gray’s plate; PD). Wikimedia Commons
- Subclavius animated GIF (nice visual for its pull). Wikimedia Commons
- Scalenes (Gray’s; PD). Wikimedia Commons
- Sternocleidomastoid (SCM) illustration (Gray-derived). Wikimedia Commons
- Levator scapulae (Gray’s/BodyParts3D variants). Wikimedia Commons
Key muscles to turn up (serratus, lower trap, cuff, deep neck flexors)
- Serratus anterior (clear PNG; multiple angles). Wikimedia Commons
- Trapezius (Gray409—use to speak to lower fibers; PD). Wikimedia Commons
- Infraspinatus (rotator cuff ER; Gray-based). Wikimedia Commons
- Teres minor (PD diagram). Wikimedia Commons
- Longus colli (deep neck flexor; Gray’s; PD). Wikimedia Commons
- Longus capitis (deep neck flexor; Gray’s; PD). Wikimedia Commons
Thorax + breathing platform (diaphragm, ribs, T-spine)
- Diaphragm plate (Gray’s; PD). Wikimedia Commons
- Lungs + diaphragm overview diagram (educational style, easy to annotate). Wikimedia Commons
- Thoracic vertebrae—posterior view (hi-res PNG set). Wikimedia Commons
- Human diaphragm media category (a bunch of options, PD/CC mixed). Wikimedia Commons
- Thoracic spine media category (multiple angles/animations). Wikimedia Commons
First rib / outlet context (why the top feels “stuck”)
- WUSTL TOS center diagrams (scalene triangle/first rib/brachial plexus). tos.wustl.edu
- Physiopedia first rib page (TOS spaces + visuals). Physiopedia
Exercise how-tos (what you teach in the method)
- Push-Up Plus (targets serratus; photo/gif demo). Rehab Hero
- Push-Up Plus explainer (serratus activation + kinematics). Physiopedia
- Serratus wall slide (banded version; step-by-step). Rehab Hero
- Forearm wall slide breakdown (common faults + fixes). tonygentilcore.com
- Doorway pec stretch (hospital guide with image/instructions). Hospital for Special Surgery
- 90/90 Hip Lift deep dive (photos/variations). ZacCupples.com
Works Cited
Scapular mechanics, force couples, and clavicle/AC motion
- Ludewig PM, et al. “Three-Dimensional Clavicular Motion During Arm Elevation.” JOSPT 2004. Describes clavicular elevation, retraction, and posterior long-axis rotation during humeral elevation. JOSPT+1
- Teece RM, et al. “Three-Dimensional Acromioclavicular Joint Motions During Elevation of the Arm.” J Orthop Res 2007. Details coupling between scapular and clavicular motions at the AC joint. PMC
- Camargo PR, et al. “Kinesiologic Considerations for Targeting Activation of the Scapular Muscles.” Braz J Phys Ther 2019. Reviews serratus anterior–lower trapezius force-couple and clinical targeting. PMC
- Briel S, et al. “Scapular Force-Couple Ratios in Healthy Shoulders.” JSES Int 2022. Quantifies scapular force-couple relationships. PMC
- Kibler WB, et al. “Clinical Implications of Scapular Dyskinesis in Shoulder Injury: 2013 Consensus.” Br J Sports Med 2013. Consensus on assessment and retraining principles. oliverfinlay.com
Pectoralis minor length and scapular tilt (and stretching)
- Borstad JD, Ludewig PM. “Effect of Long vs Short Pectoralis Minor Resting Length on Scapular Kinematics.” JOSPT 2005. Short PM linked to ↑ scapular IR and ↓ posterior tilt. JOSPT
- Ebaugh DD, et al. “Pectoralis Minor Muscle Elongation and Scapulothoracic Motion.” J Bodyw Mov Ther 2018. Summarizes evidence: short PM → ↑ scapular IR, ↓ posterior tilt. PMC
- Komati MA, et al. “Pectoralis Minor Length Measurements in Three Scapula Positions.” Physiother Theory Pract 2020. Methods and clinical context for PM length. PMC
- Rosa DP, et al. “Effects of a Stretching Protocol for the Pectoralis Minor on Scapular Kinematics.” J Hand Ther 2017. Stretching PM improves scapular alignment parameters. jhandtherapy.org
Latissimus dorsi and scapular position
- Laudner KG, et al. “Relationship Between Latissimus Dorsi Stiffness and Altered Scapular Kinematics.” Man Ther 2013. Links lat stiffness with changes in scapular rotation/tilt. PubMed
- Paksoy A, et al. “The Latissimus Dorsi Creates a Dynamic Track for the Inferior Angle of the Scapula.” J Orthop Surg Res 2024. Discusses lat–scapula interaction concept. BioMed Central
- StatPearls. “Anatomy, Back, Scapula.” 2023 update. Notes muscles contributing to downward rotation (incl. lat). NCBI
Thorax, posture, and breathing mechanics (platform for the shoulder)
- Koseki T, et al. “Effect of Forward Head Posture on Thoracic Shape and Respiratory Function.” J Phys Ther Sci 2019. FHP alters thoracic morphology and decreases respiratory function. J-STAGE
- Han JH, et al. “Effects of Forward Head Posture on FVC and Respiratory Muscles.” J Phys Ther Sci 2016. FHP reduces vital capacity. PMC
- Zafar H, et al. “Effect of Head–Neck Postures on Diaphragm Strength.” J Phys Ther Sci 2018. Head/neck posture influences diaphragm performance. PMC
- Katz S, et al. “Effect of Body Position on Pulmonary Function.” BMC Pulm Med 2018. Body position measurably affects pulmonary mechanics. BioMed Central
- Burgos J, et al. “Non-uniform Segmental ROM of Thoracic Spine During Forced Ventilation.” Front Med 2021. Thoracic spine moves with breathing; segments behave differently. Frontiers
Sleep → motor learning, autonomic tone, inflammation, pain & injury
- Siengsukon CF, Boyd LA. “Does Sleep Promote Motor Learning? Implications for PT.” Phys Ther 2009. Foundational review on sleep-dependent motor consolidation. Oxford Academic
- Christova M, et al. “Adult Gross Motor Learning and Sleep: Mutual Influences.” J Mot Behav 2018 (Open-access review). PMC
- Conessa A, et al. “Sleep-Related Motor Skill Consolidation.” iScience 2023. Highlights role of sleep spindles in motor consolidation. ScienceDirect
- Mullington JM, et al. “Sleep Loss and Inflammation.” Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab 2010. Classic review of IL-6, CRP changes with sleep loss. PMC
- Leproult R, Van Cauter E. “Sleep Loss Results in Evening Cortisol Elevation.” Sleep 1997. Demonstrates higher evening cortisol after partial/total sleep loss. PubMed
- Wright KP Jr, et al. “Influence of Sleep Deprivation and Circadian Misalignment on Cortisol.” Sleep 2015. Reviews cortisol elevations with sleep deprivation. PMC
- Zhang S, et al. “Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Heart Rate Variability: Meta-analysis.” Sleep Med Rev 2025 (Open-access). Shows reduced vagal activity (↓RMSSD) after sleep deprivation. PMC
- Faraut B, et al. “Napping Reverses IL-6/NE Changes After Sleep Restriction.” J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2015. IL-6 lowered by daytime naps post-restriction. Oxford Academic
- Pejovic S, et al. “Recovery Sleep Reverses IL-6 Changes After Work-week Restriction.” Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2013. Physiological Journals
- Rosseland R, et al. “Sleep Fragmentation Increases Pain Sensitivity.” Front Psychol 2018. Experimental data on pain tolerance/sensitivity. Frontiers
- D’Agostino V (PubMed 37423022). “Sleep Deprivation Increases Pain Sensitivity After Acute Muscle Soreness.” Sleep Med 2023. Human experimental study. PubMed
- Milewski MD, et al. “Chronic Lack of Sleep Associated with Increased Sports Injuries in Adolescent Athletes.” Clin J Sport Med 2014. Odds of injury ↑ with <8 h sleep. PubMed
