Developed with a Japanese bodywork specialist and a Kyoto factory, this belt helps return spread shoulder blades to the proper position
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Grips Your Shoulder Blades!?
Introducing the SCAPULA GRIP™ Belt
Helping to Support Your Shoulder Blades
In recent years, the use of phones and PCs, as well as how we clean the home, has created a problem where the body tends to lean forward. This forward-leaning posture is done unconsciously and leads to poor posture overall.
When this forward-leaning posture continues, the shoulder blades are more likely to become fixed in an outwardly pulled position.
This is precisely one of the major causes behind shoulder and neck stiffness experienced by so many people.
Those who have stiff shoulders will often massage them, getting a temporary release, but then soon after will be looking for relief once more.
You may not know, but around the shoulder blades, 17 different muscles are located. These muscles are connected directly to the neck and shoulders, and with the shoulder blades opening outward, the linked muscles become stiff.
We look to support the shoulder blades, which, in turn, are connected to the shoulder and neck.
Due to the location of the shoulder blades on the back of the body, on your own, they are difficult to reach and care for. However, seeing a masseuse or chiropractor on a daily basis is also unrealistic in terms of time and cost.
That is why we developed a product that supports the shoulder blades themselves, helping them to stay in the correct position.
The result is the SCAPULA GRIP™ Belt.
SCAPULA GRIP™ Belt Looks to Help Properly Aligning the Shoulder Blades
Many available belts that look to correct the position of the shoulders, and in doing so, if tightened excessively, they can overarch your back, which can have a detrimental effect.
The SCAPULA GRIP™ Belt is not a belt that merely pulls the shoulders backward.
Its design makes it draw outwardly opened shoulder blades toward the center and holds them in that position.
Rather than acting only on the shoulders, it guides the entire shoulder blade area back to where it naturally belongs.
Shoulder blades come in all different shapes and sizes.
This makes it difficult to grip them all as a whole.
That’s why we focused on the inferior angle of the shoulder blade.
The inferior angle refers to the pointed lower tip of the inverted triangular shoulder blade.
Professional bodywork specialists try to grip onto this inferior angle with their fingers, and as they put their body weight onto it, they gently pull it backwards, which in turn helps to restore smooth movement to the shoulder blade and surrounding tissues.
Through this approach, it becomes possible to reach deep muscles that are difficult to address with massage alone.
The SCAPULA GRIP™ Belt is inspired by this bodywork technique known as “Scapula Reset.” Through proprietary research, this technique has been recreated in the form of a supporter structure.
Simply tightening the belt allows the shoulder blades to be properly “gripped” and drawn inward.
Comparison with Other Posture Correction Belt
Feature ①｜W-Hole Structure
The SCAPULA GRIP™ Belt adopts a “W-Hole Structure” composed of four loops.
These double holes are designed to surround the inferior angles of the shoulder blades.
Inside the inner circle (pink color) is a wire, designed to tighten when you pull the slide belt.
This design allows the Scapula Grip Belt to “grip” your inferior angle.
The outer circle (white color) is also connected to the slide belt, designed to pull inwards.
Thus, pulling the inferior angle of your shoulder blades inwards.
The loops have a diameter of approximately 10cm.
This size is designed to accommodate the shoulder blades of both men and women, regardless of differences in body build.
In addition, the inside of each W-Hole is equipped with a non-slip inner grip.
The combination of the double holes and the inner grip firmly secures the inferior angles of the shoulder blades and prevents slipping.
Feature ②｜Dual Belt System
The SCAPULA GRIP™ Belt features a Dual Belt System consisting of a Support Belt and a Slide Belt.
First, the Support Belt is tightened around the rib area to help support posture and to create the base that draws the shoulder blades inward.
In this stabilized state, tightening the Slide Belt linked to the W-Holes causes the double holes to move toward the center.
This gently and naturally returns the shoulder blades to their proper position without strain.
Feature ③ | Shoulder Drag Structure
The Dual Belt System uses an internal wire structure that links the shoulder area.
By pulling the Slide Belts, it moves the Shoulder Drag Structure, which gently brings the blades upwards and back.
This assists the movement of bringing the shoulder blades together while also opening the chest.
To prevent the shoulder and armpits from hurting, the shoulder support is designed with a soft cushion.
Feature ④ | Ultra-Thin Mesh Fabric
The SCAPULA GRIP™ Belt uses a highly breathable, Ultra-Thin Mesh Fabric.
The material resists heat buildup, allowing for comfortable all-day wear.
It is discreet under outerwear and remains barely noticeable even when worn over clothing.
Feature ⑤ | Easy Care with Washable Design
The SCAPULA GRIP™ Belt is easy to maintain.
It can be safely washed in a laundry net without issue.
Because it is designed for daily use, we made sure it can be kept clean with minimal effort.
The Development of the Scapula Grip Belt
The SCAPULA GRIP™ Belt is the latest creation by Shinnosuke Sakai, the developer behind numerous hit products such as the Shoulder Blade Release Pillow and Futon Pillow.
Due to how we spend our days, hunched over phones and PCs, which are essential to our daily lives, many people have started to struggle with aching backs and shoulders. By developing and bringing various items to market, Sakai discovered that stiff shoulders don’t start at the shoulders themselves.
Through bad posture while we work at desks, or when we are gazing at our phones, our shoulder blades tend to lose their mobility, and from there are stuck in an unnatural outward-facing position. This results in rounded shoulders, which in turn leads to the neck and shoulders being constantly stretched and pulled, with the end result being chronic stiffness.
Sakai realised that while people try to massage and rub their shoulders to relieve the stress, the real root of the problem is actually the shoulder blades.
However, items that look to return these outwardly facing shoulder blades to their original position and care for the problem at its root are few and far between.
“There are so many people who are facing this problem, but there isn’t a solution.”
It was this problem that Sakai looked to face head-on, and with a drive to create a product that truly cares for stiff shoulders, he looked to develop this product.
Made under the supervision of a Japanese Bodywork Therapist & co-developed with a long-historied Kyoto Manufacturer
For this project, we are working under the supervision of Jiro Yasuda, a Bodywork Therapist who has been in the field for 30 years, and has around 210,000 treatments under their belt at Tsurukame Acupuncture and Bodywork Clinic.
“When the shoulder blades become stiff, the neck and shoulders are affected, and are more likely to become stiff. There are 17 different muscles that are situated around the shoulder blades, and all are connected to the neck and shoulders. One of the causes behind shoulder blades becoming stiff is poor posture, with a person leaning forward for too long. As the shoulder blades are pulled outwards, the muscles linked to the neck and shoulders are also pulled. This posture is continued for a long time, which can lead to extremely stiff muscles and the beginnings of shoulder pain. By returning the shoulder blades to their original position, or preventing them from opening so much, we can help to support your shoulder blades better and help you to maintain healthy shoulder blades. ” -Jiro Yasuda
We have brought this wisdom and experience together with Cervin, a long-historied factory that works on creating supportive implements located in Uji, Kyoto, who take the planning and structural design, and brings the item to life.
Cervin utilises carefully domestic sewing techniques, and is a factory that has strengths that lie in their ability to create items such as supporters and corsets that use thick fabric. During each step of the process, each piece is crafted with care, and stringent checks are in place to make sure that no detail is overlooked. This commitment to quality control and technical precision is reflected in the comfort and durability of the product.
The development took a year and a half. Throughout that time, we went through 50 different prototypes, and in each one, we looked at every aspect of the structure, sewing, and manufacturing method.
With a goal of firmly gripping the shoulder blades, every detail was refined, from material selection to sewing design. As a result of this uncompromising attention to detail, the ultimate supporter was finally completed.
