Strength in Numbers #213
In throwing athletes, especially baseball players, shoulder function plays a critical role in performance and durability. Among the most overlooked yet essential movements is shoulder protraction—the ability of the shoulder blade (scapula) to move forward along the ribcage. This movement is vital for generating force, maintaining arm speed, and protecting the joint from injury.
When tracking 3D motion capture, the hardest bone to map in 3D space is the scapula. Using electromagnetic sensors, I participated in a research study to track the scapula in 3D space to show the sequence of movement that transfers energy from the ground to the throwing arm.
The scapula is the link between the trunk and the throwing arm. Any inefficiency in its motion can impact energy transfer and how the energy is absorbed by the shoulder joint and elbow, which can lead to injury.
Let’s dive into protraction – that “come to mama” arm position that wraps your shoulder blades around your ribs and has you throwing longer, stronger, and faster than ever.
What is Shoulder Protraction?
Shoulder protraction is the forward movement of the scapula on the thoracic wall, a key component during the acceleration phase of a throw. It’s how athletes “reach forward” with power and control.
Key Muscles Involved in Protraction
The primary muscles responsible for shoulder protraction include:
- Serratus Anterior – the MVP of protraction. It holds the scapula against the rib cage and assists in upward rotation.
- Pectoralis Minor – assists in pulling the scapula forward and downward.
- Subscapularis – contributes to anterior stability of the scapula and internal rotation.
- Lower Trapezius and Latissimus Dorsi – work in balance with protractors to control scapular motion.
When the serratus anterior is underactive or weak, the scapula “wings” or lifts off the ribcage, compromising shoulder mechanics and control.
This graph shows the order of when segments hit peak speeds, with #3 being the scapula moving into protraction to transfer energy to the arm. The peak speed of the arm comes in 4th. The goal is to generate a high amount of energy through the throwing and arm. You can see that #5 is the forearm which hits escalates in speed until it peaks at ball release (BR)
What Limits Protraction?
Several factors can reduce an athlete’s ability to protract effectively:
- Weak Serratus Anterior – commonly inhibited in overhead athletes.
- Tight Rhomboids or Middle Trapezius – these retract the scapula and can resist forward motion.
- Thoracic Spine Stiffness – limits scapular glide and shoulder positioning.
- Shortened Pectoralis Minor – pulls the scapula into anterior tilt, disrupting fluid movement.
These imbalances can alter the rhythm between the scapula and humerus—referred to as the scapulohumeral rhythm—leading to inefficient movement and potential injury. I often see issues with players who have too much scapular retraction in their program. They present military shoulders, and their training does not allow natural protraction in rowing, bench pressing, landmine pressing, or other exercises where the arm could be outstretched in front of them.
In this image, you can see the shoulder blades are in a constant state of scapular retraction with high tone. The inability to have shoulder motion in six degrees of freedom can truly restrict the sequencing of the kinetic chain – interlinks of our segments transferring forces to our fingertips from the ground.
Protraction and Throwing: The Force Connection
During the throw, especially in the late cocking and acceleration phases, scapular protraction allows the glenohumeral joint to stay centered. If the scapula doesn’t protract properly, the shoulder relies more heavily on the rotator cuff and labrum to stabilize, increasing injury risk.
Lack of protraction can:
- Reduce arm speed and throwing velocity.
- Increase strain on the internal rotators due to poor arm positioning.
- Create a strength imbalance between the external and internal rotators.
- Compromise kinetic chain efficiency from the core to the hand.
- Overload the medial elbow, leading to Tommy John Surgery.
In this video, I am demonstrating the shoulder motion and the cues to improve shoulder motion in protraction. A key point to note is that the athlete should avoid letting the shoulders rise and activating their upper traps in the motion. In that case, lower the band down so that the upper traps cannot activate while you work on protraction.
Science Speaks: Protraction and Injury
In many baseball studies, the importance of scapular position and motion in overhead athletes is highlighted. Scapular dyskinesis—improper scapular movement—is significantly associated with shoulder impingement and labral tears. Athletes with limited serratus anterior activation were more likely to report shoulder fatigue, pain, and instability.
You can see how much more range of motion and freedom of motion you have with your shoulder blade in retraction and protraction in a split stance and adding rotation. This strength and coordination interaction, building throwing arm capacity while gaining stability, postural control, mobility, and sequencing is a game changer.
Fixing the Protraction Problem
Improving protraction begins with targeted assessment and training. Through ArmCare.com’s system, we measure shoulder strength in multiple planes to identify imbalances that may stem from protraction deficits and shoulder blade placement.
When you do a scaption exam, you have your arms outstretched at a 45-degree angle and you are applying force that involves a combination of scapula, deltoid, and rotator cuff interactions to contract maximally. In this position, a degree of protraction strength is integrated.
This video is from our Certified ArmCare Specialist Course, where we go into deep detail on how to individualize training, monitor athletes, and account for workload factors and shoulder imbalances with our SPEAR training algorithm.
Training Tips:
- Wall Slides with Protraction: Focus on upward and forward scapular glide.
- Push-Up Plus: Activates serratus anterior throughout the full range.
- Dynamic Band Reaches: Combine reaching and rotational elements under resistance.
- Foam Rolling Thoracic Spine: Improve mobility for better scapular movement.
In this video, we are showing the incline plus. Throughout our Certified Biomechanics Course, we reference shoulder protraction. Still, this exercise can be done reflexively and eccentrically to have better shoulder blade control in sliding and gliding the shoulder blade around the rib cage.
Rotator Balance = Arm Protection
Without proper protraction, the shoulder may rely too heavily on the internal rotators (subscapularis, pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi), overpowering the external rotators (infraspinatus, teres minor). This imbalance leads to decreased control during deceleration and follow-through, often resulting in pain or injury.
By training protraction and ensuring proper scapular function, athletes can not only boost their velocity but also protect their arms through thousands of throws per season.
You need to ensure your training, not just your arm care programming, balances out your shoulder. Stuck shoulder blades, overly developed internal rotators, and poor positioning of the shoulder need to be corrected and stabilized. You will learn more about how to customize your orogramming by becoming a Certified ArmCare Specialist.
Takeaway
Protraction isn’t just a minor movement—it’s a major player in shoulder health and throwing performance. Assessing and improving scapular protraction should be part of every throwing athlete’s development and recovery plan.
Learn from us – because when the shoulder moves right, everything else follows.
Strength Matters Most,
Ryan
