Scapular winging is a condition where the shoulder blade (scapula) protrudes abnormally from the back, rather than lying flat against the rib cage, often resembling a wing. It is caused by weakness or paralysis of the muscles that stabilize the scapula—most commonly the serratus anterior, often due to long thoracic nerve injury—resulting in pain, reduced range of motion, and difficulty with overhead tasks.

What causes scapular winging?

Medial scapular winging typically results from weakness of the serratus anterior muscle, often caused by injury to the long thoracic nerve. In contrast, lateral winging arises from dysfunction of the trapezius or rhomboid muscles, associated with spinal accessory or dorsal scapular nerve impairment.

Is winged scapula caused by bad posture?

The main cause is weakness in the serratus anterior or subscapularis muscles of the shoulder. This weakness can occur from poor posture over time, irritation of the muscles from overuse, injury to the muscles from trauma or from damage or detorioration of nerves in the shoulder.

What happens if scapular winging is left untreated?

People with untreated scapular winging have an increased risk of developing a frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis). If nerve damage causes a winged scapula, there's a chance you'll lose feeling and movement in your affected muscles. This risk increases the longer it takes to get the issue diagnosed and treated.

What muscles are weak with a winged scapula?

Scapular winging (SW) is caused by weakness of trapezius, rhomboids, and serratus anterior muscles. The different patterns of scapular movement among these causes assist in the differential diagnosis and are illustrated in the 3 described cases (table e-1 on the Neurology® Web site at www.neurology.org).

Scapular Winging - Everything You Need To Know - Dr. Nabil Ebraheim

How do you self test for scapular winging?

Winged Scapula Wall Test

Start to lift your arms up toward the wall, rotating your fingers down toward the ground. Press your palms flat against the wall at around the height of your waist. This position should make any winging of the scapula much more noticeable and visible [7].

What exercises should I avoid with scapular winging?

You want to avoid activities that put you into head forward posture such as sit ups. Forward head posture can put pressure on the long thoracic nerve which can compromise the firing potential of the serrated anterior which is a main cause of winging scapula.

Can a chiropractor fix winged scapula?

Chiropractic adjustments are ideal for realigning your spine and limiting the pressure on the nerves in your back. Adjustments can help with the muscle imbalances and spinal imbalances that often accompany the appearance of a winged scapula.

How did I get a winged scapula?

Usually, a direct injury of the muscle or the nerves around the shoulder blade can bring it on. Winged scapula can also be caused by traumatic injury to the nerves or muscles, such as blunt trauma, upper-limb stretching, or other trauma-related events.

How rare is a winged scapula?

Epidemiology. A winged scapula due to serratus anterior palsy is rare. In one report (Fardin et al.), there was an incidence of 15 cases out of 7,000 patients seen in the electromyographical laboratory. In another report (Overpeck and Ghormley), there was only one case out of 38,500 patients observed at the Mayo Clinic ...

How painful is a winged scapula?

Scapular winging is a rare, painful, and debilitating condition that leads to limited function of an upper arm, making the activities of daily life challenging. It impacts the ability to lift, pull, and push objects and can even make brushing one's hair and teeth painful.

What exercises fix scapular winging?

“Y” Wall Slides For Winged Scapula

Actively push your elbow into the wall, prompting your shoulder blade to move forward. Gradually move your arms up into the shape of a “Y” until your elbows are almost straight. Throughout the movement, sustain active pressure on the elbow against the wall.

How to tell if scapula is winged?

Limited range of motion — you may be unable to raise your arm above shoulder height. A crunching or snapping sound with shoulder movement. Noticeable protrusion or "winging" of the scapula. A drooped or forward tilted posture on the affected side.

What are two signs of shoulder impingement?

The most common symptoms of shoulder impingement are shoulder pain (especially while reaching or throwing overhead), stiffness, tenderness to the touch and/or weakness.

What happens if winged scapula goes untreated?

It is possible for some patients suffering from scapular winging to recover most or all functionality of the shoulder joint [3]. However, if left untreated, several consequences can ensue including adhesive capsulitis, subacromial impingement, and brachial plexus radiculitis [5-6].

Will shoulder MRI show scapula?

What does an MRI of the shoulder show? An MRI scan provides grayscale images of the complex shoulder anatomy, which includes: Bony components like the humeral head (ball of the glenohumeral joint, which is at the top of your arm bone) or the scapula (shoulder blade)

Can sleeping on one side cause winged scapula?

Side sleeping with scapula pushed out.

Over time, this can lead to overly loose muscles that do not provide the support for your shoulder blade (also called a winged scapula, as it sticks out like a “wing”).

Can I lift weights with a winged scapula?

But traditional lifting typically creates more longitudinal compression on your spine and ribs which can make scapular winging worse. On top of that, trying to lift weights with a winged scapula will likely increase your risk of injury, because you haven't addressed the movement dysfunction.

Why is scapular winging bad?

Scapula winging can result in inefficient movement of the glenohumeral (shoulder) joint. The scapula and shoulder joint are connected. If the resting position and movements of the scapula are not in optimum position, it can lead to restricted movements of the shoulder joint.

---