Winged Scapula

[c00lduke]

About 5 years ago I was running around and jumped and swung from a tree branch but half way through the swing the branch broke and I feel on my back pretty hard. I was on vacation and notice that it was hard to swing the next couple days do to a pain in my shoulder blade.

The pain went away and I didn't think anything of it until 1-2 years later I noticed that when I'm bench pressing my shoulder bladed seemed to push me up on the right side. I took a look in the mirror and I can make my shoulder blade come out about 3 inches. From what I've found on the net this is referred to as a wing scapula. What I'm looking for is some suggestions on exercises that I could do to target the muscle that holds the blade in. I know the problem my be beyond fixing it that way but I'd figure I'd give it a try before I had to have surgery.

[Sick Puppy]

Dunno if I've got this right, but would I be right in assuming that your scapula moves outwards much easier than the other? Is there a difference between the size and shape of your serratus anterior muscles on each side? (ones underneath pecs that run into lats)

If so, the physio I saw said it was a "sub-luxing scapula", and suggested that I lie face down, arm by my side and palm facing inwards, and I pull the shoulder backwards and downwards, so that it is brought towards the spine.

There was also this article I spotted in T-Nation a while back (can't remember who here in the forum first brought it to my attention, but thanks!):

http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=1426252&pageNo=0

Hope these help.

[Sockomalo]

i had and still kinda have the same problem. go see a physiotherapist and they will tell you a bunch of exercises that will help fix the problem by strengthening the muscles that control the scapula. the guy above me is dexcribing one of the exercises but not too well, theyre kinda hard to explain. but the problem casn be corrected without surgery.... go see a physio therapist


face pulls are a great exercise too, im still trying to find an alternative to do them at home without a cable pulley though :(

[oziem]

You may get best results with:
1 Thoracic spine adjustment. It is likely you subluxated the T5 disc.
2 Adjust or massage any adhesions out of the scapular attachments.
3 Then pursue the pushups and face pulls.

The article referred to in the previous post is recommended.

Dr. Oziem

[Horseradish]

You may get best results with:
1 Thoracic spine adjustment. It is likely you subluxated the T5 disc.
2 Adjust or massage any adhesions out of the scapular attachments.
3 Then pursue the pushups and face pulls.

The article referred to in the previous post is recommended.

Dr. Oziem

I absolutely agree.

I had a winged scapula as a kid, and it was extremely painful. Physical therapists had me do weight exercises with 3 pound weights, but they didn't help at all. After a few years it went away on its own, but it was horrible while I had it and I was unable to sleep many nights.

Then, 20 or so years later I wake up in the middle of the night with searing pain in between my shoulder blades. The winged scapula had returned! I went for a couple months with the pain and inability to raise my right arm above 90 degrees, thinking it would start getting better soon. It didn't. I went to a doctor, who sent me to a neurologist, who confirmed that I had compression of my long thoracic nerve (the nerve that controls the serratus anterior, which holds in the scapula). Hundreds of dollars were spent to confirm the obvious, and the only thing I got out of it was a referral to a physical therapist. I said **** that and decided to go to a chiropractor.

To make a long story short, the chiropractor saw how messed up my upper back was (I could barely move my neck and I was very hunched over) and gave me several adjustments. Within a few minutes the pain was gone. My scapula winging rapidly subsided from that point on, and after about a year I was back to 100% again. The chiropractor is IMHO the best solution for your problem.

So go to a chiropractor, and start working on the posture of your upper back. Do face pulls, "serratus punch", and other exercises that target the serratus anterior and muscles of the upper back to help you with your posture. Most importantly, be patient and try to maintain a positive attitude. It can take up to 2 years for the nerve damage to heal (if it is benign enough to heal).

[euphoria1]

I'm just going to expound on the proper treatment of the winged scapula or aka the hunchback figure

In order to rectify your situation, you need to work both the scapular depressors and retractors: This includes Horizontal pulling variations (seated rows, prone middle and lower trap raises)


The serratus anterior plays an important role in facilitating scapular posterior tilt. To develop this, supine and standing single-arm dumbbell protractions are good ; scap pushups, scap dips, and scap pullups in which the athlete is instructed to keep the scapulae tight to the rib cage are effective isometric challenges to the serratus anterior.

[Horseradish]

I'm just going to expound on the proper treatment of the winged scapula or aka the hunchback figure

In order to rectify your situation, you need to work both the scapular depressors and retractors: This includes Horizontal pulling variations (seated rows, prone middle and lower trap raises)


The serratus anterior plays an important role in facilitating scapular posterior tilt. To develop this, supine and standing single-arm dumbbell protractions are good ; scap pushups, scap dips, and scap pullups in which the athlete is instructed to keep the scapulae tight to the rib cage are effective isometric challenges to the serratus anterior.

Winged scapula is known as the hunchback figure? Sounds like you might be thinking of postural kyphosis, not winged scapula...

I respectfully question your proposed solution to the problem. Since his injury was caused by falling on his back, I'm positive that it is a nerve damage/compression issue, not a muscular weakness one. It's not possible for muscles to waste away and weaken instantaneously to the point where a winged scapula occurs. However, it is very possible, and likely, that one or more nerves will become compressed or damaged during such an impact and will be unable to operate the muscles that it is connected to.

I have had a winged scapula twice before (once as a kid, once a couple years ago) as a result of nerve compression. You can try like hell to strengthen the appropriate muscles such as the serratus anterior, but it doesn't do any good because the nerve impulses never reach the muscles. The muscles just don't move, regardless of how hard you try to make them move! It's like trying to tell a paralyzed person to get up and walk -- it's just not possible.

The chiropractic adjustment is important because it remediates the nerve compression (subluxation) to allow the nerves to properly send impulses to the muscles and to heal correctly.

[euphoria1]

yes i am thinking of kyphotic thoracic spine

[fried96]

You could try out going to a chiropractor. In the meantime I would suggest doing seated ows and focus on squeezing the shoulder blades together. 3 sets x12

[MontanaPT]

euphoria is right about protraction exercises that will help strengthen the serratus anterior

[Fresch]

Discussions on chiropractic aside....

As that article mentioned before notes, there are other causes of winged scapula than just secondary to a nerve dysfunction, related to poor posture.

I do have issue with the face pull exercises as a form of early rehab, but that is another issue.

If there is a neural dysfunction, and it is common, then it will need to be remedied. It can be due to joint or soft tissue pressure, or due to a viral infection in the nerve (which I believe is rare to non-existant actually).

Either way, posture correction and retraining of the serratus anterior, rhombs and middle/lower traps is called for. This means learning to get the muscle to activate first, and leaning to control it, before going for gross movement and heavily resisted exercises.

[Anabolic82]

About 5 years ago I was running around and jumped and swung from a tree branch but half way through the swing the branch broke and I feel on my back pretty hard. I was on vacation and notice that it was hard to swing the next couple days do to a pain in my shoulder blade.

The pain went away and I didn't think anything of it until 1-2 years later I noticed that when I'm bench pressing my shoulder bladed seemed to push me up on the right side. I took a look in the mirror and I can make my shoulder blade come out about 3 inches. From what I've found on the net this is referred to as a wing scapula. What I'm looking for is some suggestions on exercises that I could do to target the muscle that holds the blade in. I know the problem my be beyond fixing it that way but I'd figure I'd give it a try before I had to have surgery.

I have experienced winged scapula two different times as well. While chiropractors are great, there is a faster option as well. There are specialist chiropractors out there who run what are called ChiroMAT clinics. MAT stands for Muscle Activation Technique, or AMIT technique. I went to a regular chiropractor for about two years after my injury and while he helped ease the pain, recovery was slow. I discovered a ChiroMAT clinic near me and he restored full function to my shoulder in about 6-8 appointments, with noticeable improvement immediately after each appointment. I re-injured it recently, but going to the ChiroMAT doctor right away I am already about 70% recovered in just 4 weeks (about 1-2 appointments a week).

[Gymnast001]

I recently discovered a slightly winged scapula when i lift my arms straight out to the sides while holding weight. I believe i damaged my long thoracic nerve while doing heavy seated upward dumbell flies. The doctor gave me Prednisone "Cortisone" for 10 days and told me to return after that. I'm going to visit a chiro mat clinic, I'm just wondering if anybody knows what exercises I can do for my back if I have to stay away from chins, pull ups, and pull downs - because from what I understand, this can keep the nerve damaged.

And are there any other exercises that I should stay away from? Or should I be able to work through it untill it is corrected? Any help is appreciated.

[braindx]

I recently discovered a slightly winged scapula when i lift my arms straight out to the sides while holding weight. I believe i damaged my long thoracic nerve while doing heavy seated upward dumbell flies. The doctor gave me Prednisone "Cortisone" for 10 days and told me to return after that. I'm going to visit a chiro mat clinic, I'm just wondering if anybody knows what exercises I can do for my back if I have to stay away from chins, pull ups, and pull downs - because from what I understand, this can keep the nerve damaged.

And are there any other exercises that I should stay away from? Or should I be able to work through it untill it is corrected? Any help is appreciated.
Why would you suspect nerve damage?

Did you have a pinching sensation and then loss of motor control or a similar injury?

Resting allows stuff to heal so rest...