Anatomy of Scapula Winging

Abstract

Multiple pathologies can result in the alterations in position and motion that have been called scapular winging. The neurologically based factors traditionally thought to be the causation are less common than other causative factors. Abnormal scapular motion, most commonly classified as scapular dyskinesis, is a physical impairment which can either cause or result from shoulder injury. While winging caused by neurological and traumatic origins can be resolved with surgical interventions, scapular dyskinesis is most often seen as a result from a loss of coordinated muscle activation which directs clinicians to a nonoperative treatment regimen. The clinical assessment of the position of the scapula at rest as well as during dynamic arm motion, including medial border prominence, should be observed. A clinical understanding of the possible causes of winging will assist practitioners in determining the correct means of resolving the abnormal scapular position and/or motion.