Scapula winging is a condition where the shoulder blade protrudes from the skin, caused by weakened muscles. Physical therapy, stretching, and massage can help, but surgery may be necessary in severe cases.
Scapula winging — sometimes known as scapula winging — is a medical condition involving the scapula. A person with a winged scapula has a shoulder blade that appears to protrude from the skin on the side closest to the spine. This gives the appearance of wings in some cases.
The causes of winged scapula are many and varied, although they generally result from weakened or inhibited muscles in the surrounding area. While there are a number of different exercises to help strengthen the muscles that may be causing the problem, surgery is required in some cases.
One of the more common causes of the condition is when a muscle known as the serratus anterior becomes too weak. This can cause the scapula to assume an abnormal position and give rise to the winged appearance. In some cases a nerve in the shoulder or back is affected and this can cause paralysis of a muscle such as the serratus anterior and the inability to do its job properly.
Another potential cause of scapula winging is damage or problems to the trapezius muscle. This is a large muscle located in the shoulder that can stretch when there is a problem with the serratus anterior. This, however, happens over the course of several weeks, meaning that scapula winging may not occur or become visible immediately following an injury.
Aside from the obvious appearance of the scapula through the skin, there are several other symptoms of the condition. For example, the person may have difficulty lifting their arm straight up. The scapula appearance may also be more noticeable as the person moves away from their body.
Because winged scapula is sometimes caused by a weakening muscle, physical therapy is often used to treat it. Resistance and strength exercises are used to get the muscle back to working properly. Stretching may also be used in some cases, although this has the potential to cause more harm if not done with the supervision of a trained professional.
Massage is also sometimes used to help loosen surrounding muscles which can allow the serratus anterior to start working again. The idea is to improve the health of the muscles in the area. This is a treatment that should be performed by an experienced massage therapist. In worst cases, surgery may be needed to treat the underlying problem that is causing the condition.
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