How long to fix winged scapula

Examples of blunt trauma include dislocating your shoulder or twisting your neck in an unusual way. Repetitive movements can also cause injuries. This type of injury is common among athletes, but it can also be caused by everyday tasks, such as:. Rib resections, mastectomies, and procedures that require general anesthesia may cause nerve damage. A study in Supportive Care for Cancer followed people who had undergone axillary dissection, a surgical breast cancer treatment. Among the surveyed, 8 percent exhibited scapular winging 15 days after surgery.

Your doctor will first look at your shoulder blade for any obvious signs of winging. They may also ask you to perform certain arm or shoulder movements. Tell your doctor about any recent injuries, illnesses, or surgeries that could affect your neck, arms, or back. Depending on which nerve and muscle is causing it, scapular winging has both nonsurgical and surgical treatment options.

Cases of scapular winging caused by damage to the serratus anterior nerve sometimes heal on their own within two years. Your doctor may also recommend light physical therapy or using a brace for several months early in your recovery. For scapular winging caused by damage to the dorsal scapular nerve, your doctor will likely recommend a mix of physical and massage therapy. They may also prescribe muscle relaxants, anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics, or a combination of all three.

Supports such as braces and slings can also be helpful during recovery. In addition, scapular winging caused by a traumatic injury is more likely to need surgery. Scapular winging due to damage to the spinal accessory nerve also usually requires surgery. The most common surgical treatments for scapular winging are nerve and muscle transfers. No other doctor had a solution for my constant pain associated with my scapular winging. The day after Dr. Nath performed the decompression surgery on my LTN, I was able to lift my arm again at a 90 degree angle and as I healed, my strength came back in full force!

It was very painful as only my shoulder blade would touch it and the weight of my upper body could only rest on the shoulder blade.

Immediately after surgery, I could finally rest my back against any surface, including my bed. The surgery itself was not painful, especially after years of dealing with constant aching and spasms around my shoulder, back and side. Thank you, Dr. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

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Physical Sciences. Researcher Blog. STEM Education. Thought Leaders. Leading the way in the treatment of scapula winging.

Talk to a doctor about symptoms of scapular winging as soon as possible. Scapular winging is a rare condition. It involves one or both shoulder blades sticking out from the back and commonly results from nerve damage around the shoulders.

Shoulder stretches can relieve tension and tightness in the upper back, neck, and shoulders. In this article, we discuss how to perform 10 shoulder…. There are many different possible causes of shoulder blade pain. In this article, we take a look at some common ones and their treatment options. Upper crossed syndrome refers to an overlapping configuration of overactive and underactive muscle groups.

The syndrome is often a result of poor…. People can improve their posture by practicing certain exercises and making some lifestyle changes, such as maintaining a healthful weight. Learn more…. A pinched nerve in the shoulder, also known as cervical radiculopathy, occurs when something presses against a nerve coming from the neck.

This often…. What to know about scapular winging. Medically reviewed by Timothy Gossett, M. Causes Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment Exercises Prevention Recovery Summary Scapular winging involves one or both shoulder blades sticking out from the back rather than lying flat.

Share on Pinterest A person may have scapular winging because of nerve damage. So you might think that you are working out your serratus anterior but other muscles are taking over and the exercise is ineffective. How can I fix my problem? The treatment needs to be targeted towards proper muscle activation and postural correction. If your chest muscles are too tight from rounded shoulders, the shoulder blade will constantly be pulled out of alignment. If there is a rotator cuff injury, it needs to be addressed as well.

Tight shoulders are highly correlated to this condition, find out if your shoulders are tight. Fixing a winged scapula tends to be more complicated because it greatly differs from patient to patient.

It could be a nerve, the shoulder blade muscles or like many times a combination of the two.