Dr. Yi-Cheng Wu
中文

Home Exercise Training for Swimmer's Shoulder

By Dr. Yi-Cheng Wu · Reviewed June 21, 2026

Research shows that eight weeks of home scapular training and stretching is associated with improvement in rounded-shoulder posture and neck-and-shoulder discomfort in swimmers.

The chronic overuse problems seen in swimming are often accompanied by rounded shoulders and forward head posture, commonly called upper crossed syndrome. A 2010 randomized controlled trial in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, conducted in elite swimmers, showed that strengthening the back muscles with YWL scapular retraction exercises and stretching the chest and posterior neck muscles with a foam roller, over eight weeks and three sessions per week, was associated with improvement in neck flexion angle, rounded-shoulder displacement, and neck-and-shoulder pain compared with before training.

Six-step home exercise for swimmer's rounded shoulders (YWL strengthening + foam roller stretching)

  1. Y position to strengthen the lower trapezius

    Reach the arms straight forward with thumbs up so the arms and body form a Y, and perform scapular retraction to train the lower trapezius. The study design used three sets per exercise and ten repetitions per set.

  2. W position to strengthen the mid and lower trapezius and rhomboids

    Bend the elbows and raise the arms to body height, drawing the scapulae down and back so the arms and body form a W, training the mid and lower trapezius and the rhomboids.

  3. L position to strengthen the infraspinatus and teres minor

    Bend the elbows with thumbs up so the arms and body form an L, keeping the scapulae retracted to train the infraspinatus and teres minor.

  4. Plank scapular protraction

    In a plank position, perform scapular protraction: press toward the floor so the body moves about 1 to 2 cm, keeping the scapulae stable throughout and avoiding winging of the scapula.

  5. Foam roller chest stretch

    Lie supine on a foam roller aligned with the spine, contracting the transversus abdominis so the abdomen presses toward the roller. With the elbows and shoulders bent to 90 degrees and the forearms and palms touching, slowly open the arms horizontally and retract the scapulae, holding the stretch for 5 seconds and repeating 10 times.

  6. Foam roller chin retraction

    Lie on the foam roller and move the chin backward to stretch the posterior neck muscles, making sure it is retraction rather than bending the neck to touch the chest. The study used three sessions per week for about eight weeks. If the situation is more complex or accompanied by pain, it is still advisable to seek assessment from a physician or physical therapist.

Recently more patients have come to the clinic with swimming-related discomfort. Swimming is a relatively gentle sport, so acute sports injuries are uncommon, but chronic overuse problems are more frequent. Swimmer’s shoulder presents with different symptoms in different people, and beyond the shoulder it is sometimes accompanied by neck tightness and pain. Many swimmers have forward head posture and rounded, hunched shoulders. In fact, with simple exercises done consistently for eight weeks, it is possible to improve poor neck and shoulder posture and discomfort.

Poor posture

Rounded shoulders involve the shoulders rotating inward and both shoulders drawing forward. Forward head posture usually refers to the chin lifting and the head tilting back, so the neck looks like a turtle’s neck, and from the side the neck and back form a half-circle. These postures usually reflect tightness in the pectoral muscles, suboccipital muscles, sternocleidomastoid, and levator scapulae, while the mid and lower trapezius, rhomboids, and serratus anterior at the back are lengthened.

Rounded-shoulder posture is related to the front chest muscles being overactive and the back muscles being lengthened and weak. Along with the poor posture of a hunched back, it may also lead to neck and shoulder aching, commonly called upper crossed syndrome. Beyond assessment by a physician or physical therapist and treatment with manual therapy and exercise training, there are a few simple movements you can train at home to reduce swimmer’s shoulder and rounded shoulders.

A 2010 study in BJSM recommends strengthening the back muscles with the YWL part of the YTWL exercises and with scapular retraction movements, and stretching the chest and posterior neck muscles with a foam roller. Different training approaches each have pros and cons; for example, the YTWL training includes movements in different positions. This study used a stability ball for support and completed eight weeks of training, with three sessions per week, three sets per exercise, and ten repetitions per set. The study was designed as a rigorous randomized controlled trial and carries a reasonable degree of credibility.

Back-muscle training

YWL exercises

Y position

Muscles trained: lower trapezius

Method: reach the arms forward with thumbs up so they form a Y with the body

W position

Muscles trained: mid and lower trapezius, rhomboids

Method: bend the elbows and raise them to body height, drawing the scapulae down and back so the arms and body form a W

L position

Muscles trained: infraspinatus, teres minor

Method: bend the elbows with thumbs up so the arms and body form an L, keeping the scapulae retracted

Scapular protraction

In a plank position, train the scapular protraction movement: press toward the floor so the body moves 1 to 2 cm, keeping the scapulae stable throughout and avoiding winging of the scapula.

Muscle stretching movements

Pectoralis flexibility

Lie supine on a foam roller aligned with the spine, then contract the transversus abdominis so the abdomen presses toward the roller. With the elbows and shoulders bent to 90 degrees, the starting position has the forearms and palms touching; then slowly open the arms horizontally and retract the scapulae, holding the stretch for 5 seconds and repeating 10 times.

Chin retraction

Again lying on the foam roller, move the chin backward to stretch the posterior neck muscles, rather than bending the neck to touch the chest.

After eight weeks of training, although trapezius muscle strength did not increase, improvements were seen in neck flexion angle, rounded-shoulder displacement, and neck-and-shoulder pain, making this a home-based exercise option.

Summary

Rounded shoulders are very common, and there are many ways to correct and train them. Simple home exercises can improve the condition to a degree, but if the situation is more complex or accompanied by pain, it is still advisable to seek assessment and help from a medical or training professional.

With thanks to physical therapist Che-Wei Chin of Landseed International Clinic for demonstrating the movements.

Background

2020 team physical therapist for the national Olympic training swim team

2019 team physical therapist for the diving development squad

2015 team physical therapist for the judo and baseball teams at Beinan Junior High School, Taitung

Further reading

Postural changes that swimming may cause

The swimmer’s shoulder you can’t ignore

References

The effects of an exercise intervention on forward head and rounded shoulder postures in elite swimmers. Br J Sports Med. 2010 Apr;44(5):376-81.

Further reading

Frequently asked questions

What are the common poor postures in swimmers?

Swimmers commonly show rounded shoulders (shoulders internally rotated and drawn forward) and forward head posture (chin lifted, head tilted back). This usually reflects tightness in the pectoral muscles, suboccipital muscles, sternocleidomastoid, and levator scapulae, while the mid and lower trapezius, rhomboids, and serratus anterior at the back become lengthened. It is commonly called upper crossed syndrome and may also come with neck and shoulder aching.

How can I train at home to improve rounded shoulders?

A 2010 study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggests strengthening the back muscles with scapular retraction exercises such as the YWL, and stretching the chest and posterior neck muscles with a foam roller. The study was designed as a randomized controlled trial, using eight weeks, three sessions per week, three sets per exercise, and ten repetitions per set.

What movements does the back-muscle training include?

The YWL exercises described include the Y position (arms reaching forward, thumbs up) to train the lower trapezius, the W position (elbows bent and raised to body height, scapulae drawn down and back) to train the mid and lower trapezius and the rhomboids, and the L position (arms in an L shape, scapulae retracted) to train the infraspinatus and teres minor. There is also scapular protraction training in a plank position.

How do I do the stretching movements?

The chest stretch described involves lying supine on a foam roller aligned with the spine, with the elbows and shoulders bent to 90 degrees, then slowly opening the arms horizontally and retracting the scapulae, holding for 5 seconds and repeating 10 times. There is also chin retraction, lying on the roller and moving the chin backward to stretch the posterior neck muscles. The actual movements should still be adjusted by a professional according to your individual situation.

Is home exercise enough on its own?

Rounded shoulders are very common, and simple home exercises are, according to research, associated with a degree of improvement in posture and discomfort. However, if the situation is more complex or accompanied by pain, it is still advisable to seek assessment and help from a physician, physical therapist, or other professional.

This article is also available in the original Chinese, with the full reference list.

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