SeeSaw: The Master Glide That Wakes Up All 17 Shoulder-Blade Muscles

SeeSaw looks simple, but it asks the muscles that hold your shoulder blade steady to work with both sides of your body at once. For the wider picture, start with how ShoulderBack Pro works.

Your shoulder blade is not fixed to your ribs. It glides on the back of the ribcage and is held in place by a set of muscles. These muscles keep the shoulder blade in a good position while your arm moves. People often call them scapular stabilizers.

SeeSaw asks these muscles to do two jobs at once. They must keep the shoulder blade steady on one side while the arm moves through a reach. Then they must move the shoulder blade smoothly when the reach changes direction. Textbooks list many muscles that attach to the shoulder blade, and the exact count varies by source. What matters is that they work together.

ShoulderBack Pro is a 160-gram, pocket-size movement trainer made in Canada. Two handles are joined by a fixed-length, non-elastic strap. Nothing stretches, snaps or drops. One arm assists while the other resists, and you set the effort, the pace and the range.

SeeSaw itself has not been tested in a trial. The research below covers the types of movement it shares.

• Resisted exercise that builds over time probably helps. A review of trials in rotator-cuff-related shoulder pain found that progressive, resisted exercise showed a benefit of uncertain clinical importance. Unloaded movement alone did not show a clear benefit on pain [R01].
• Control-focused programs may help a little more than generic exercise. Moderate-certainty evidence suggests that motor-control programs reduce disability slightly more than non-specific exercise in the short and medium term. The effect on pain is uncertain, and it is not clear why [R02].
• Shoulder blade exercise has some support. A 2025 review found that scapular stabilization exercise improved pain and function in people with rotator-cuff-related pain [R03].
• Two-arm training has a track record in rehabilitation. Studies in stroke rehabilitation found that bilateral, or both-arm, training improved shoulder movement more than single-arm training [R14]. These results come from stroke patients, not healthy adults. They are a reason the idea is interesting, not proof that SeeSaw works for you.

Start with the seated version, even if you plan to stand later. Stop if you feel sharp pain, numbness or tingling.

1. Set up. Sit in an armchair with your back supported and your feet flat on the floor. Hold the trainer with both hands and let your arms rest.
2. Choose a light effort. Set the device to the lowest level that still lets you feel the movement. The resistance comes from your other arm, so you progress by resisting harder, moving through more range or doing longer sets.
3. Start the glide. Reach one arm gently forward and slightly out, while the other arm guides the movement. Move slowly enough that you can feel your shoulder blade working.
4. Alternate sides. Switch the guiding role to the other arm. Keep the movement even and unhurried.
5. Keep breathing. Breathe out as you reach and in as you return. Holding your breath tends to make the movement stiffer.
6. Finish softly. Let your arms rest in your lap and notice how your shoulder blades feel.
7. Standing option. When you feel steady, stand with your feet hip-width apart and repeat the glide. Keep a hand near a sturdy surface if you need it.

• What is body-controlled resistance? A plain explanation
• Assist and resist: how one arm helps the other move