Scapular retraction and Y-T-W

Scapular retraction means drawing the shoulder blades back toward the spine. Y, T and W raises do the same with the arms in different positions, which works the middle and lower trapezius and the rhomboids: the muscles that hold the shoulders back against the pull of desk work. They are a staple for rounded shoulders and a good complement to neck exercises.

Scapular retraction (seated or standing)

1. Sit or stand tall, arms relaxed by your sides.
2. Draw the shoulder blades back and slightly down, as if putting them in your back pockets.
3. Hold 5 seconds without shrugging or arching your lower back. Relax.
4. Repeat 10 times.

Y, T and W raises

Lie face down on a bed or bench, forehead on a towel, or stand bent forward at the hips with a flat back.

Letter	Arm position	Movement
Y	Arms overhead in a Y, thumbs up	Lift the arms a few centimetres, hold 2 seconds
T	Arms straight out to the sides, thumbs up	Lift, squeezing the shoulder blades together
W	Elbows bent and tucked, hands at shoulder level	Squeeze the elbows back and down

Do 8 to 12 of each, 2 to 3 sets, three times a week. Start with no weight; add very light dumbbells (0.5 to 2 kg) once 12 reps feel easy.

What the evidence shows

In office workers with neck pain, workplace strengthening of the neck and shoulders reduced pain with a medium sized effect, larger when the exercises targeted the neck and shoulders, while stretching alone did not help more than usual practice.¹ In a 20 week trial, one hour of such strength training a week reduced neck and shoulder pain even when split into short sessions.² For posture itself, combined strengthening and stretching programmes improved rounded shoulders in a 2024 meta-analysis.³

Common mistakes

• Shrugging the shoulders up toward the ears. Keep them down.
• Arching the lower back to lift higher. The movement is small.
• Going heavy too soon. These are small muscles; form matters more than load.

Who should take care

People with a painful or recently injured shoulder should start with retraction holds only. Stop and get advice if an exercise causes sharp pain, pain spreading into an arm, numbness, tingling or dizziness. Mild muscle effort and a gentle stretch are normal.

Pair with band face pulls and wall angels.

Footnotes

1. Workplace-based interventions for neck pain in office workers: systematic review and meta-analysis. 2018. ↩

2. Influence of frequency and duration of strength training for effective management of neck and shoulder pain. 2012. ↩

3. The effect of various therapeutic exercises on forward head posture, rounded shoulder, and hyperkyphosis among people with upper crossed syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2024. ↩