This patient has trouble raising her arms above her head. She is currently pushing her arms against the wall. Note the appearance of the scapula.Challenge: The most common cause is weakness in which muscle group? What is the innervation of that muscle group?
Related Questions
1. What is this presentation called?
2. Which muscles stabilize the scapula to the torso?
This case idea contributed by Kate Dinh.
Image shown under fair use.
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2 comments:
winged scapula, serratus anterior, long thoracic nerve
Anatomy Basics
This presentation is called winging of the scapula, where the inferior angle of the scapula protrudes backward. This is pronounced when the patient attempts to push against resistance. The inability to raise the arms may be weakness of the shoulder girdle (the muscles that stabilize the scapula) which include the trapezius, rhomboid, and serratus anterior. The most common cause of winging is damage to the serratus anterior muscle, which attaches to the medial anterior aspect of the scapula to anchor it to the rib cage. It is innervated by the long thoracic nerve.
Sources: Kate Dinh, Yale School of Medicine, Wikipedia.
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