Around the World: Big Circles for Serratus Anterior and Lower Traps

The serratus anterior is a fan-shaped muscle along the side of the ribs. It holds the shoulder blade against the back of the rib cage and helps you lift the arm overhead.

The lower trapezius is the lower part of the large muscle across your upper back. It helps draw the shoulder blade down and steady it while the arm moves.

The shoulder blade, or scapula, is the flat bone the arm connects to.

• Shoulder-blade exercise has shown benefit. A 2025 review found that scapular stabilization exercise improved pain and function in rotator-cuff-related shoulder pain [R03].
• Progress in stages. Shoulder rehabilitation commonly moves from range of motion to strength, then control and proprioception, then coordination [R16]. A slow, controlled circle like this sits on the control side of that sequence.
• Control may edge out generic exercise. Programs that teach control reduced disability slightly more than non-specific exercise in the short and medium term [R02].

1. Sit tall or stand. Keep your feet flat and your shoulders relaxed. Seated option: Sit in a sturdy chair with your back supported.
2. Start with arms in front of you. Hold the trainer at about chest height, with your elbows soft and your forearms relaxed.
3. Draw one large, unhurried circle. Move the arms slowly in front of your body, as if tracing a big circle in the air. Keep it small enough to feel easy, and let one arm resist the other a little. To progress, resist harder, make the circle larger or do longer sets. Seated option: Make the same circle from your chair, keeping your back against the chair.
4. Reverse the direction. Circle the other way, slowly.
5. Stop if sharp pain starts. A mild working feeling is normal. Sharp pain, or pain that lingers after you finish, means you should stop and check with a clinician.