Anyone have a winged scapula?

Say so. Hoping I'm not the only one.

If you do, how did you deal with it? Any non-surgical way around it. The spinal nerve leading to my right trapezius seems to be paralyzed. I can control the muscle on the left, but the right just won't respond. I hate it. Sorry, needed to vent on that one too.

I'm not familiar with this problem, sorry.

[QUOTE=xven]Say so. Hoping I'm not the only one.

If you do, how did you deal with it? Any non-surgical way around it. The spinal nerve leading to my right trapezius seems to be paralyzed. I can control the muscle on the left, but the right just won't respond. I hate it. Sorry, needed to vent on that one too.[/QUOTE]
Can you tell us what exactly this condition is?

[url]http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/front/shoulder/winged_scapula.htm[/url]

[Quote]A Winging Scapula is typically caused by a weak Serratus Anterior muscle. The Serratus Anterior muscle is also known as the boxer's muscle, because that is one of the motions it does: it protracts (or brings the shoulder forward). If this muscle is weak, it does not hold the shoulder blade as close to the ribcage and the result of that is called winging.

Several things can cause weakness in this muscle: Poor posture over time, excessive irritation to the muscle from overuse, a trigger point (knot) in the muscle, etc. On a more serious note, sometimes the muscle itself is just fine but the nerve isn't telling it to contract. That would be a neurological problem.

This condition is fairly common in younger females. The shoulder/shoulder blade joint is very complex and involves many muscles (over 20). I'm glad you will be seeing a specialist. They will figure out why the muscle isn't functioning properly and then help you fix it. If it is a simple strength problem, they will show you specific exercises that target the muscle.

In the meantime, really be super conscientious about having good posture: by that I mean keep your shoulders back and your head back. It's important because the muscle is already having some issues and you don't want to overload it by keeping it stretched out of shape all the time. Sometimes, sitting/sleeping with a small pillow under the elbow can help relax the shoulder muscles and decrease pain.

For more information, I'd recommend doing a google search on "serratus anterior", "winging scapula", and "scapular stabilization exercises".[/Quote]

[url]http://experts.about.com/q/Orthopedics-980/Winged-scapula.htm[/url]

Well, sure feels great to be the only goof with this. Sorry I didn't reply or check earlier, needed to get my beauty sleep.

Thanks for posting that up, Morbid_Mind. Mine is neurological. Believe it or not, my school bag was the culprit here. The amount of books they made us carry, oii. And me, an idiot nonetheless, decided to just use one strap slung over my right trap. Only the cool kids were doing it though :D

Brother I feel your pain!!!

When I was a kid both of my scapulae were winged (2nd grade). I remember one day my upper back was aching so bad that I was unable to sleep. Doctor sent me to physical therapy to treat my "weak muscles" by having me lift three-pound dumbbells. I don't remember how long it took to go away, but eventually it did.

I was fine all the way through high school. However, after I graduated I was doing Fall bud grafting at a tree nursery (see [url]http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/hortcult/treeshru/shildbudg.htm[/url], "Steps in Budding" section), where you are working 10-12 inches from the ground for eight hours a day. One particular day I was really exerting myself and felt an intense burning in my right shoulder and was unable to lift my arm. I went off to the doctor and she told me that I had a muscle tear. I was given some ibuprofen and was told to rest my arm. The pain subsided in about two months, and within about half a year my arm was operational again.

However, ever since the budding injury I've had nerve damage in my upper back. Every once in a while my right scapula region starts itching like crazy and I have to drop everything and go rub my back up against the nearest sharp object I can find. Also it is sensitive to the touch.

Everything was fine until last February. One night I woke up with the same excruciating pain in my upper back, and again I was unable to lift my right arm. For two weeks I was unable to sleep more than about four hours at a time. Thinking I had a muscle tear (again), I did some googling and realized it was most likely compression of the long thoracic nerve, the nerve that controls the serratus anterior. So I went to a sports physician who told me that this was probably correct, and the process of getting nerve compression in your sleep is known as "sleep palsy" (glad she didn't try to tell me I had weak muscles or a muscle tear or I would have up and left). She, of course, had to send me to her buddy the neurologist to do some expensive nerve conduction velocity and electromyography tests that easily confirmed impingement of my long thoracic nerve. Lucky bastard got some of my money. Long story short, I was told that they can't do jack **** for me, and it would go away within two years, and if it didn't, then I would be stuck with the problem until I die.

So for eight months I was stuck with a winged scapula and this horrible pinching pain. Desperate, I finally went off to a chiropractor in October. He popped the living hell out of my neck and upper back. Within five minutes the pain was gone. I continued going to the chiropractor for about six weeks. My winged scapula has been subsiding ever since. Currently I'm virtually as good as new.

Advice to you: If you do have a winged scapula, get your ass over to a chiropractor ASAP! If you know it's nerve compression, then don't dick around with a doctor or neurologist, they're just a waste of time. And _don't_ waste your time on physical therapy.

Let me know if you need any more info. Good luck in your recovery; stay positive and go see the damn chiropractor.

[QUOTE=xven]And me, an idiot nonetheless, decided to just use one strap slung over my right trap. Only the cool kids were doing it though :D[/QUOTE]

At my school it was cool to not carry a backpack at all.

[QUOTE=Horseradish]Brother I feel your pain!!!

When I was a kid both of my scapulae were winged (2nd grade). I remember one day my upper back was aching so bad that I was unable to sleep. Doctor sent me to physical therapy to treat my "weak muscles" by having me lift three-pound dumbbells. I don't remember how long it took to go away, but eventually it did.

I was fine all the way through high school. However, after I graduated I was doing Fall bud grafting at a tree nursery (see [url]http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/hortcult/treeshru/shildbudg.htm[/url], "Steps in Budding" section), where you are working 10-12 inches from the ground for eight hours a day. One particular day I was really exerting myself and felt an intense burning in my right shoulder and was unable to lift my arm. I went off to the doctor and she told me that I had a muscle tear. I was given some ibuprofen and was told to rest my arm. The pain subsided in about two months, and within about half a year my arm was operational again.

However, ever since the budding injury I've had nerve damage in my upper back. Every once in a while my right scapula region starts itching like crazy and I have to drop everything and go rub my back up against the nearest sharp object I can find. Also it is sensitive to the touch.

Everything was fine until last February. One night I woke up with the same excruciating pain in my upper back, and again I was unable to lift my right arm. For two weeks I was unable to sleep more than about four hours at a time. Thinking I had a muscle tear (again), I did some googling and realized it was most likely compression of the long thoracic nerve, the nerve that controls the serratus anterior. So I went to a sports physician who told me that this was probably correct, and the process of getting nerve compression in your sleep is known as "sleep palsy" (glad she didn't try to tell me I had weak muscles or a muscle tear or I would have up and left). She, of course, had to send me to her buddy the neurologist to do some expensive nerve conduction velocity and electromyography tests that easily confirmed impingement of my long thoracic nerve. Lucky bastard got some of my money. Long story short, I was told that they can't do jack **** for me, and it would go away within two years, and if it didn't, then I would be stuck with the problem until I die.

So for eight months I was stuck with a winged scapula and this horrible pinching pain. Desperate, I finally went off to a chiropractor in October. He popped the living hell out of my neck and upper back. Within five minutes the pain was gone. I continued going to the chiropractor for about six weeks. My winged scapula has been subsiding ever since. Currently I'm virtually as good as new.

Advice to you: If you do have a winged scapula, get your ass over to a chiropractor ASAP! If you know it's nerve compression, then don't dick around with a doctor or neurologist, they're just a waste of time. And _don't_ waste your time on physical therapy.

Let me know if you need any more info. Good luck in your recovery; stay positive and go see the damn chiropractor.[/QUOTE]Alright, you've officially scared the sh*t out of me. On the other hand, you've enriched me with so much wisdom and knowledge; a.k.a. thanks for the heads up. I thought I had it bad already and there wasn't any worse to come, but I can see I might be wrong now. I don't have an excuse not to go check this up. We have free health care up here (crappy, but free), so I really should go do the necessary things. That is some great info you provided. It's nice to hear from someone who has experienced this first hand and dealt with it. Again, I don't really know for a fact as to what winging I have. My self-diagnosis pointed out to the type of winging being my spinal nerve, leading to my right trapazeius was paralyzed. My brother, a doctor, who was down from the U.S. for a visit told me I had this problem when I asked him why I couldn't move my right one. I'm going to google everything you just mentioned, look up on it and see how it fits into the equation. Thank you SO much.

And to add, wow man you've been through some really rough times. It's almost inspirational to see someone who has had to deal with these ridiculous problems still stay dedicated and keep lifting. Great work man. I thought I had it bad, my problem absolutely pales compared to what you have gone through. I wish you the all the best and am glad to see you are recovering. Thanks for the encouragement and advice.

[QUOTE=xven]Alright, you've officially scared the sh*t out of me. On the other hand, you've enriched me with so much wisdom and knowledge; a.k.a. thanks for the heads up. I thought I had it bad already and there wasn't any worse to come, but I can see I might be wrong now. I don't have an excuse not to go check this up. We have free health care up here (crappy, but free), so I really should go do the necessary things. That is some great info you provided. It's nice to hear from someone who has experienced this first hand and dealt with it. Again, I don't really know for a fact as to what winging I have. My self-diagnosis pointed out to the type of winging being my spinal nerve, leading to my right trapazeius was paralyzed. My brother, a doctor, who was down from the U.S. for a visit told me I had this problem when I asked him why I couldn't move my right one. I'm going to google everything you just mentioned, look up on it and see how it fits into the equation. Thank you SO much.

And to add, wow man you've been through some really rough times. It's almost inspirational to see someone who has had to deal with these ridiculous problems still stay dedicated and keep lifting. Great work man. I thought I had it bad, my problem absolutely pales compared to what you have gone through. I wish you the all the best and am glad to see you are recovering. Thanks for the encouragement and advice.[/QUOTE]

It's the least I can do. You're doing the right thing -- educate yourself about the problem and ask those with experience. One very important thing is to keep a positive attitude and to maintain a sense of hope. I remember being incredibly depressed and frustrated when I would go to the gym and not be able to do a front raise with a 5-pound dumbbell. The thought of having a paralyzed muscle and also the aesthetic blemish (it looks like a hump on the back) for the rest of my life was crushing at times. My wife was very supportive and she helped me conjure up hope and positive energy when I was in a rut.

I'm living proof that it's possible to recover from this problem. Keep working out (even if it's frustrating or embarrassing), try to keep a positive attitude, get the right treatments, and watch the events unfold in your favor. Good luck!

Thanks man, all the best to you as well.

Its often caused by damage to the long thoracic nerve which supplies serratus anterior. Its commonly cut in knife fights.

hey guys i also have a question im new in this forum therefore idont know how to start a thread thatswhy i am putting my question here if this is illegal then i am apologizing for my act
now coming to the main point .i want to ask that my left scapula feels alil bit different from my right one (i checked its movement and position myself and compared it with my another scapula thank god there was no different ) but the thing which makes me think is that when i strech my neck to the right side sound (tak tak) come from the upper area of scapula i dont know what makes this sound and this sound doesnt comes at normal activities or during excercises but only while do the strech as i said .i must also say that i had passed from a rotator cuff injury and rested two months (rehabing my rotator cuff) and the rotator cuff is almost heald but scapula is making me anxious .i dont know is it winged scapula or shoulder dyskinesia ..plz help if it is one of these guide me what exercises to do and what to avoid tnx in advance

[img]http://ijahsp.nova.edu/articles/vol3num1/nof_files/image002.jpg[/img]

most kids have a winged scapula, its normal. for adults its a problem.