Shoulder Blade Squeezes
Strengthens the muscles between the shoulder blades to support upright posture.

What it helps
Strengthens the muscles between the shoulder blades that hold you upright and support good posture.
How to do it
- Sit or stand tall with arms relaxed.
- Gently squeeze your shoulder blades together and slightly down.
- Hold briefly, then release.
Tips
- Do not shrug your shoulders up toward your ears.
- Your arms stay still — the movement happens between the shoulder blades.
- Keep it gentle and controlled.
Commonly done as hold 3–5s sets of 10–15, a few times a day.
Where this appears in recovery
Shoulder Blade Squeezes is part of 47 recovery programs, most often at the early recovery (weeks 2–6), immediate recovery (weeks 0–2) and build (weeks 4–8) stages, among others. Each program shows how it fits alongside the other movements:
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- …and 35 more
All exercise guides · Condition guides · Recovery education
These are general exercise guides, not a personal prescription. The repetitions and frequency shown are what's commonly used — your own surgeon or therapist may advise something different, and their guidance comes first.