This document discusses pulling movements and whether they should be considered rotational or translational. It reviews current issues in pulling technique, research on scapula positioning and shoulder strength ratios. While pulling involves movement of the scapula, elbow, and trunk, the degree and timing of movement in each part is still debated. Slow, heavy pulls that allow the elbow to pass the trunk line may involve more rotation, while compound pulls aim to move all joints simultaneously in translation. More research is still needed to define optimal scapula positioning and pulling kinematics.

1. Mark McKean (PhD Candidate)
University of Sunshine Coast
PULLING MOVEMENTS
Shoulder Or Elbow First?

2. Current Industry Issues
 Scapula positioning and setting
 Scapula plane or coronal plane
 Should pulling movement be taught as two
actions or one?
 What should the range of movement should
the pull involve?
 Shoulder stability
 Push - pull Ratios?
 Structural balance of the shoulder?

3. Research Review
 Scapula position/stability
 Shoulder strength ratios
 Scapula plane or coronal plane
 Other notes

4. Scapula Position/Stability
 Trapezius and serratus anterior most important
stabilisers acting on scapula thoracic joint
(Mottram)
 Deltoids generate significant shear force and
compressive force in support of anterior
shoulder instability.
 The deltoid provides dynamic stability with the
arm in the scapular plane and only decreased
the stability of the shoulder with the arm in the
coronal plane. (Lee & An)

5.  Scapula stability exercises and thoracic curve
correction should be done before rotator cuff
exercises (Kibler)
 Ideal scapula position yet to be determined
but it is not in its inner range of lower
traps, and “down and back” is not an
appropriate command(Mottram)

10. Shoulder Strength Ratios
 Suggested ratio of external to internal strength
is approx 2/3.
 Weight training more likely to cause imbalances
(Kobler)
 Rugby players – bench press to pull ups 1:1 (Baker)
 Kayak paddlers – bench press to pull ups 1:1.47
(McKean - unpublished)
 Relative height of the handle influences strength
of push pull outcome and ratio (Badi & Boushaala)

11. Shoulder Structural Balance
 Deltoid : External Rotators : Lower Traps
 3 : 1.5 : 1 ratio of strength
 Compared to 1RM Pull up (kayakers - Mckean
unpublished data)
 Deltoid – 18%
 External rotators – 9%
 Lower Traps – 6%

12. Scapula Plane or Coronal Plane
 Internal rotator strength similar for both
planes but external rotator strength better in
scapula plane (Greenfield et al)
 Horizontal muscle force was decreased 16.2%
in the slouched thoracic position for
abduction to horizontal in scapula plane.
(Kebaetse et al)

13. Glenohumeral – Scapulothoracic
Rhythm
 The scapulo-humeral rhythm (2.2–2.5) and
scapular tilting (2–4°) remained relatively
constant during elevation (Graichen et al)
 Mean ratio of gleno-humeral to scapulo-thoracic
motion was 1.7:1
 Normal scapular motion consists of substantial
rotations around 3 axes
 Significant relationship in scapula-thoracic-
humeral-clavicle movement (McClure et al)
 Clavicular and scapular angles were significantly
related to the arm elevation (de groot)

14. Other Notes
 Although movement analysis is considered an
integral part of a physiotherapist's skill, research
has shown that a sample of experienced
manipulative physiotherapists had difficulty in
determining the symptomatic status of patients
with clinically diagnosed shoulder complaints by
movement analysis alone. 58% accuracy
achieved (Hickey et al)
 Push pull movements/stabilising showed
postural adjustments were initiated shortly
before all focal movements (Cordo & Nashner)

15. Research Summary
 Scapula neutral position requires muscular
support and correct thoracic curve
 Shoulder strength ratios exist but may be
sport or activity specific
 All rotator cuff strength most balanced in
scapula plane
 Scapula, thoracic spine and humerus all move
in an associated manner not yet defined
clearly
 Movement analysis not an exact science

16. Movement Basics

17. Basic Movements
 Throwing – force summation where forces
overlap in sequence (involves rotational
components)
 Pushing – all joint move simultaneously
(translation)
 Squatting – all joints move together
(translation)
 Pulling – is it rotational or translation?

18. Translation
 If a body is moved from one position to
another, and if the lines joining the initial and
final points of each of the points of the body
are a set of parallel straight lines of length
ℓ, so that the orientation of the body in space
is unaltered, the displacement is called a
translation parallel to the direction of the
lines, through a distance ℓ.
– E.T. Whittaker: A Treatise on the Analytical Dynamics of Particles and
Rigid Bodies,

19. Rotation
 A rotation is a movement of an object in a
circular motion. A two-dimensional object
rotates around a center (or point) of rotation.
A three-dimensional object rotates around a
line called an axis. If the axis of rotation is
within the body, the body is said to rotate
upon itself,
 Mathematically, a rotation is a rigid body
movement which, unlike a translation, keeps
a point fixed

20. Pulling Technique
 Aaberg suggests –
 Start position of scapula in neutral
 Move both scapula and arms together
 Continue to retract scapula
 Pull arms till humerus parallel with body or
aligned with shoulders
 (if all joints move together - translational)

21.  Fees et al suggests
 Shrug with elbows locked and scapula fully
retracted
 Partial ROM
 Full ROM
 (If scapula becomes set and arms move
afterwards - rotational)

22. $64000 question
Is pulling a translational
movement of rotational
movement?

23. Examples-Rotational Movement.
 Compound movements like throwing, or kicking,
 Bigger slower muscles initiate action
 Smaller faster muscles build on the action super
imposing their forces on top of momentum already
developed
 Isolated movements like leg extension, leg
curls, bicep curls
 Single joint rotation via action of muscle above the
joint
 Rotation occurs about the axis of the joint

24. Examples-Translational Movement
 Compound movements like Bench
press, squat,
 All joints start moving and complete the
movement at or about the same time utilising
different muscles in an optimal way to achieve the
fullest movement possible
 Multiple joints and muscles contribute within their
ability to the whole movement

25. Compound Pulling Movements
 Bent over row
 DB Row
 Chin up
 Standing cable pull

26. a. Shoulder below b. Shoulder stopped c. Shoulder rotates
Once elbow passes trunk line and shoulder ceases to
move to rear, movement becomes rotation

27. a. Shoulder below - translation
b. Shoulder above and stopped
c. Shoulder still but arm passed
trunk line now rotation

28. Shoulder remains centrally positioned in all 3 shots but elbow
never passes the trunk line, hence little rotation

29. Axis of rotation now involves the trunk
The shoulder and elbow has passed trunk line but has the
movement become rotation at the shoulder?

30. Strength Training Application

31. What is the Training Focus?
 Thoracic position and curve
 Scapula stabilisers
 Large muscles of the back
 Rotator cuff
 Trunk rotation “core” muscles
 Re-patterning
 Combination of all

32. What is the Pulling
Sequence?
 Should the scapula set first?
 Should the elbow bend with the setting?
 Should the elbow cease moving at the trunk
line?
 Should the trunk rotate?

33. Scapula Setting
 Some cases require retraining of the scapula
positioning
 Setting back and down, or in and down is not
justified by research – find Neutral ??????
 The need to engage the scapula stabilisers is
important and may require initial strength
training prior to full pulling movements.
 Scapula stabilising automatically occurs prior to
humerus movement
 Injury prevention through scapula stability
training is an important factor

35. Lowe

36. Grip Variations Alter
Function
 Wide to narrow grips
 Wide grips tend to allow more translational
movements
 High to low bars
 Low bar pulls to lower chest tend to allow more
rotational movements
 Supinated, pronated and neutral grips
 Supinated grips tend to allow more rotational
movements

37. Adding rotation of the shoulder
to the end of a pulling
movement
 Slow strength moves under high intensity
transfer great force to small muscles of rotation
if the elbow passes trunk line
 Small muscles cannot complete the movement
so enlist aid of other muscles causing postural
adjustments to shoulder girdle
 Are these scapula positional adjustments
supporting the true function of the movement or
a form of cheating
 Under explosive or high speed movements the
force summation reduces this stress and less
adjustment of shoulder girdle occur.

38. In Summary
 In slow strength training, movements should occur
together unless retraining or rehabilitating a
shoulder
 If movement is slow or load is high take care with
how far past the trunk line you allow clients to pull
elbow
 If this is a desired movement then be sure to account
for postural adjustments of the shoulder girdle and
trunk in this action and ensure light enough load that
rotator cuff can manage
 Aim to achieve push-pull ratios and ext-int rotation
ratios appropriate to sport or activity.

39. References
 1. Aaberg, E. 2006. Muscle Mechanics: Human Kinetics.
 2. Badi, T, and Boushaala, A. Effect of One-Handed Pushing and Puling Strength at Different Handle Heights in Vertical
Direction. In: eds., 2008.
 3. Baker, D, and Newton, R. An Analysis of the Ratio and Relationship Between Upper Body Pressing and Pulling Strength.
J Strength Cond Res 18: 3: 594-598, 2004.
 4. Cordo, P, and Nashner, L. Properties of postural adjustments associated with rapid arm movements. J Neurophysiol 47:
2: 287-302, 1982.
 5. de Groot, J, van Woensel, W, and van der Helm, F. Effect of different arm loads on the position of the scapula in
abduction postures. Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon) 14: 5: 309-314, 1999.
 6. Fees, M, Decker, T, Snyder-Mackler, L, and Axe, M. Upper Extremity Weight-Training Modifications for the Injured
Athlete: A Clinical Perspective. Am J Sports Med 26: 5: 732, 1998.
 7. Garner, B, and Shim, J. Isometric shoulder girdle strength of healthy young adults. Clin Biomech 23: 2008: 30-37, 2007.
 8. Graichen, H, Hinterwimmer, S, Eisenhart-Rothe, R, Vogl, T, Englmeier, K, and Eckstein, F. Effect of abducting and
adducting muscle acitivity on glenohumeral translation, scapular kinematics and subacromial space width in vivo. J
Biomech 38: 4: 755-760, 2005.
 9. Greenfield, B, Donatelli, R, Wooden, M, and Wilkes, J. Isokinetic evaluation of shoulder rotational strength between the
plane of scapula and the frontal plane. Am J Sports Med 18: 2: 124, 1990.
 10. Hickey, B, Milosavljevic, S, Bell, M, and Milburn, P. Accuracy and reliability of observational motion analysis in
identifying shoulder symptoms. Man Ther 12: 3: 263-270, 2007.
 11. Illyés, Á, and Kiss, R. Shoulder muscle activity during pushing, pulling, elevation and overhead throw. J Electromyogr
Kinesiol 15: 3: 282-289, 2005.
 12. Kebaetse, M, McClure, P, and Pratt, N. Thoracic position effect on shoulder range of motion, strength, and three-
dimensional scapular kinematics. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 80: 8: 945-950, 1999.
 13. Kibler, W. The Role of the Scapula in Athletic Shoulder Function. Am J Sports Med 26: 2: 325, 1998.
 14. Kolber, M, KS, B, MS, C, and MA, H. Shoulder Joint and Muscle Characteristics in the Recreational Weight Training
Population. J Strength Cond Res 23: 1: 148-157, 2009.
 15. Lee, S, and An, K. Dynamic glenohumeral stability provided by three heads of the deltoid muscle. Clin Orthop Relat Res
400: 40-47, 2002.
 16. McClure, P, Michener, L, Sennett, B, and Karduna, A. Direct 3-dimensional measurement of scapular kinematics during
dynamic movements in vivo. J Shoulder Elbow Surg 10: 3: 269-277, 2001.
 17. Mottram, S. Dynamic stability of the scapula. Man Ther 2: 3: 123-131, 1997.

40. Contact Details
 Mark McKean
 Email – mark@markmckean.com
 www.markmckean.com