I am going to go over another ‘half’ of a posture today, the upper part of Guarudasana or Eagle Pose. Like Cow’s Face Arms this pose can be done with the arms only, seated or standing in any other position.
Muscles Stretched: Posterior deltoid, middle and lower trapezius, rhomboids, teres major, infraspinitus, teres minor, triceps (slightly), and latissimus dorsi (but not if lumbar lordosis is maintained). Also possibly the levator scapulae (more on that later).
Muscles Strengthened: Infraspinatus, teres minor, pectoralis major and minor, serratus anterior
Points of Body Awareness:
*Is there any pinching or sharp sensations in the shoulders, elbows or wrists? If so, try a modified version described below.
*Once the arms are in position, be sure to move the elbows forward (protraction), then slightly upward (flexion) to maximize the energy of the pose and to increase the stretch of the muscles attached to the shoulder blades.
*Breath into the space between the shoulder blades. Broaden the back with each inhalation and relax the shoulders away from the ears with each exhalation.
To Modify: If the hands don’t come together, you can hold onto a strap in both hands but continue to actively move the backs of the hands toward the midline.
For a more gentle stretch, try pulling one arm across the chest with the opposite hand but maintain external rotation of the arm being stretched by keeping the forearm vertical, with the fingers pointing up toward the ceiling.
PT Notes: Eagle arms pose is essentially an advanced variation of a posterior capsule stretch but the shoulder is externally rotated isometrically rather than passively internally rotated. This is not a pose that I would recommend for anyone with an acute or subacute rotator cuff injury however I think it is excellent for improving blood flow and maintaining strength in a healthy rotator cuff. This posture may be useful for those with adhesive capsulitis, with chronic anterior instability, and for anyone with trigger points in the rhomboids, teres major and trapezius muscles.
I have formulated the theory (I have absolutely no proof of this) that the Eagle Arm pose can actually stretch the levator scapulae muscle, specifically the insertion on the scapula. I came up with this after I held this pose for a while one day and could swear that I felt it mostly at the superior angle of my shoulder blade. When I released the pose, I palpated that spot and it felt slightly tender. At first, I didn’t think this made much sense but once I thought about it, I realized that protraction moves the insertion point further away and by raising the arms up, the scapulae begin to upwardly rotate, further stretching the levator scapulae (which is why it is felt more on the side of the top arm). I don’t think everyone can achieve this particular aspect of the stretch because I believe the shoulders need to approach or exceed 90 degrees of flexion in the pose. For those who are very tight in the shoulders just achieving adequate adduction with external rotation will be a challenge so they will be unlikely to feel the stretch in the levator scapulae.
So what is the therapeutic value of my theory? For swimmers, gymnasts and others who tend to be very flexible and generally need more stability over mobility, this may be a good way to address trigger points in the levator scapulae without requiring the joints to be stretched to end-range, in other words, no need to bury to the nose into the armpit, stretching and pulling all the facet capsules, etc along the side of the neck.
Lisa Minn is a licensed physical therapist and yoga enthusiast. She has been incorporating aspects of Yoga and Pilates into her physical therapy practice since 2001 and became a certified yoga instructor in 2004. Her experience ranges from working with athletes at West Point and Georgetown to instructing elderly and wheelchair-bound clients in the fundamentals of Hatha Yoga. Lisa has conducted several lectures and workshops across the US, as well as in Honduras and Peru, where she volunteered her services. She currently resides and practices in Northern California. This and other articles by Lisa can be found at The Pragmatic Yogi.
The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
