Right shoulder position

The primary problem, and one that is, to varying degrees, unavoidable is the displacement of the right scapula as the arm reaches forward over your guitar. The classical position is undoubtedly the best way of avoiding this scapula displacement, unfortunately as the guitar has evolved it’s become less practical to always play it this way and we’ve been forced to adopt a less ergonomic position. The photo gallery shows some of the problems that we now face in positioning our right shoulder.

Scapula tipping at the AC jointLeaning the right shoulder forward places considerable strain on the AC joint and the muscles that stabilise the scapulaPrevious Image 1/9 Next

So all of us will need to find a way to deal with this problem. One element in the solution is the maintenance of a healthy muscle tone. The very complex balance that the shoulder strikes between mobility and structural integrity requires an equilibrium across the competing force vectors. As soon as one element in this mix becomes weak, others strain to take up the slack and further problems ensue. The long pole exercise is the best one that I’ve come across but many people will prefer gym work (under supervision) or specific exercises from physical therapists.

The second element is, of course, keeping the shoulder relaxed. If you can reach with your left hand to the bottom of your right scapula you’ll probably feel the inferior angle protruding out the back. This is an indication the scapula is either winging (dragging around to the side) or tipping (sliding up over the top). There is more than likely a combination of the two. Use the upper body relaxation exercise that's included in the standing posture section to straighten the spine, open the chest and drop the shoulder. Reach around again to the inferior angle to see if the scapula has shifted.

You don’t need to totally eliminate this tipping of the scapula but you do want to reduce it. Excessive tipping will strain the acromioclavicular (AC) joint and any displacement of the scapula will strain your serratus anterior muscle as it tries to pull it back onto the rib cage. Pain that feels like it sits under the lower part of the scapula is probably related to serratus anterior strain.

If you simply pull your shoulder back to get into this position you’ll only create more tension, you need to focus on relaxing your shoulder and allowing it to fall into a more open position. The key here is to ensure that you’re sitting up straight, any thoracic bending, caused by hunching over your guitar, will contribute to scapula tipping

supporting exercises

Left shoulder position

The change from the classical position has brought the guitar more to the right and while it’s not good for the right shoulder it is better for the left side. The main problem that people face here is the tendency to lift the shoulder. This is totally avoidable and easily managed.

Left shoulder elevatedElevation of the lefts shoulder will accompany elbow winging and this thumb positionPrevious Image 1/8 Next

As you’ll have seen from the biomechanical analysis if the left elbow is tucked into your side, hanging vertically from your shoulder, then your shoulder is doing it’s job. In order to achieve this and to encourage maximum relaxation all the way down the arm it needs to be as relaxed and in as neutral a position as possible. The strategies that we applied to the right shoulder are just as relevant here.

• Take a breath in and then as you breathe out allow your shoulders to simply fall.
• Continue this relaxed breathing and focus on the large muscle at the top of your shoulder (trapezius). The upper traps make a line between the back of the neck and the top of your shoulder so the common tendency for the head to protrude forward will also pull the shoulders forward. As the tension in these superior fibres is reduced you’ll notice you’re shoulders start to straighten as well as fall.
• Now focus on the muscles at the side of your neck, you probably won’t notice any shape change with this, the scalenes are generally hard as a rock, but it will take a lot of the stress away from structures all around the neck and connect the upper traps with the front of the chest.
• Focus now on the area just below your clavicle, a reduction in the tension here will bring your shoulders back, opening your chest.

The left scapula is less likely to tip up over the rib cage, instead the entire shoulder complex tends to lift, either through inherent tension in the shoulder elevators, or the position of the hand and elbow. There’s a full description of these patterns in the biomechanics pages.

To stop the shoulder lifting and the elbow winging out we need to find another way to reach high up on the neck of the guitar. With the shoulder in the position we are prescribing here the humerus can rotate at the glenohumeral joint with little if any affect on the rest of the shoulder complex. Shoulder rotation is not a straightforward movement, keeping it stable and mobile through such a wide range of rotation does take some tricky engineering. The shoulder is well adapted to do this however and when there are no loads other than gravity acting on the arm this movement won’t add to the myofascial tension in your arm and shoulder.

To keep it there you need to ensure that as you move down the fretboard toward the headstock your shoulder rotates. Take a look at this short video.

Supporting exercises