Winged shoulder blade is an injury or condition wherein the shoulder blades or scapulae protrude from the back. Winged shoulder blades are clearly seen when lifting the arms up or pushing against resistance. The symptoms are the following.
- The shoulder blades stick out at the back like wings
- There is a feeling of pain and limited movement of shoulder particularly when elevating the arms up.
- There is difficulty in lifting heavy objects
- A feeling of pressure on the scapular from a chair when sitting
Causes of Winging Shoulder Blade
- Damage or a bruise to the long thoracic nerve and weakness in the serratus anterior muscle.The outward and upward movement of the shoulder blade is caused by activation of serratus anterior muscle, like pushing against resistance.
- Paralysis of the lesion to the spinal accessory nerve and trapeziums muscle as a result of winging on elevation of the arm.
- Lesion in the dorsal scapular nerve lesion. This results to winging on external rotation of the arm as well as rhomboid weakness.
Tips and Exercises for Winged Shoulder Blade
What can we do to alleviate, if not, prevent the occurrence of winged scapula? There are several exercises and tips for winged shoulder blade, and these include:
- Using the wall, try some wall pushups.You should not let your shoulder blades move while doing the push-ups.
- Do some rehab exercises including stretching, stabilizing, and strengthening.
- Place your mouse pad in a place just level with your elbow.
- If you feel pain while doing some rehab exercise, seek professional advice to know what would be the best for you. More exercises for strong shoulder muscle
- Surgery can be performed. Your surgeon will conduct some series of tests to assess the extent of damage in the long thoracic nerve and plan appropriate treatment.
- Related Topics
- Shoulder Blades Stick Out: Left, Right Shoulder Blade Sticking Out
- Right Shoulder Blade Pain Treatment: Causes Of Pain In Shoulder Blades
- Uneven Shoulder Blades: Uneven Left, Right Shoulder Blade Causes
- How To Build Shoulder Muscle: Best Exercises For Strong Shoulder Muscles
- Periarthritis Shoulder Pain Relief: Treatment For Frozen Shoulder
