RESEARCH

Dr. Mark McKean PhD

SQUARE SHOULDERS

STRONG ARMS

RESEARCH

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

� Ideal Shoulder position

� Testing shoulder posture

� Flexible Shoulders

� Square Shoulders

� Strong Arms

IDEAL SHOULDER POSITIONIDEAL SHOULDER POSITION

CLAVICLE

SCAPULA

RIBCAGE

HUMERUS

ARMS

2007

2010

2009

TEST A FRIENDTEST A FRIEND

FLEXIBLE SHOULDERSFLEXIBLE SHOULDERS

COMMON PROBLEMS

� Poor overhead flexibility

� Short rotator cuff

� Rounded shoulders

SHOULDER FLEXION TEST

� Arms above head

� Wrists touch floor

� Elbow bent

� Scapula moves out

SHOULDER ROTATION TEST

� Arm bent 90o

� 20o off floor in front

� Arm touches floor above

PEC MINOR

� Arms by side

� AC joint off floor more than 5 cm

SQUARE SHOULDERSSQUARE SHOULDERS

POOR THORACIC CURVE

Soldiers and hunchbacks

� You must try and correct curve first

� Scapula must sit flat o curve

GORILLAS

� Forward Shoulders

� Rounded shoulders

� Round backs

EIFFEL TOWERS

� Low Shoulders

SQUARE SHOULDERS

2008

STRONG ARMSSTRONG ARMS

MUSCLE BALANCE

� Long head of Bicep

� Long head of Tricep

� Bicep V Tricep strength

� Grip Strength

WEAK ARMS

� Weak scapula stabilisers

� Poor ROM at shoulder

� Weak push pull muscles of shoulder

STRENGTH RATIOS

Muscle GroupMark McKean

(JSAMS-2009)

Key Predictor Exercise 1 RM PU (close grip)

Deltoid - 8RM 1 arm Shoulder

press 18%

External Rotators – 8RM Ext Rot

on knee 9%

Lower Trapezius – 8RM Bent

over trap raise 6%

1 ARM SHOULDER PRESS

EXT ROT ON KNEE

BENT OVER TRAP RAISE

MARK MCKEAN PHDMARK MCKEAN PHD

Post Doctoral Research Fellow

Australian Institute of Fitness Research

University of Sunshine Coast

mmckean@usc.edu.au