Scapular Dyskinesis
For your shoulder to work correctly and stay healthy, all your shoulder muscles must work in concert. Disruption of normal shoulder motion creates an abnormal strain on the rotator cuff called “Scapular Dyskinesis.”
About Scapular Dyskinesis
Three bones form your shoulder; the scapula (shoulder blade), the clavicle (collar bone), and the humerus (long arm bone). These bones form a shallow ball & socket joint that relies almost entirely on the surrounding muscles for support. For your shoulder to work correctly and stay healthy, all your shoulder muscles must work in concert. Disruption of normal shoulder motion creates an abnormal strain on the rotator cuff called “Scapular Dyskinesis.” Simply put, scapular dyskinesis means an abnormal movement of the shoulder.
Scapular Dyskinesis is a functional condition that contributes to structural problems. This condition builds upon upper crossed syndrome. Upper crossed syndrome refers to a pattern of alternating tightness and weakness with the neck and shoulder muscles.
Typically, upper crossed syndrome starts from tightness in the pectoral muscles. This tightness is usually due to overtraining or poor posture often see with desk workers. When the pectoral muscles shorten, it causes stretching and weakness in the muscles that stabilize the scapula. Consequently, this causes your shoulders to roll forward.
Think of it this way, if you flex your biceps, your triceps must relax and stretch to allow bicep flexion. Similarly, If you are hunched over a desk, your pectoral muscles flex or shorten. As a result, your scapular muscles will have to relax and allow for that position. Continued relaxation leads to weakness. Thus, making it hard for those weak muscles to stabilize your shoulder blade properly though movement.
Symptoms of Scapular Dyskinesis
When the scapula does not move properly, it can lead to a cascade of other issues. For example, if the scapula cannot move in sync with the humerus when raising your arm, it eventually causes anterior impingement syndrome. Impingement syndrome is due to the rotator cuff muscles being pinched between the humerus and scapula. When muscle gets pinched enough, they will start to tear fibers, leading to a rotator cuff tear of rupture.
Research has shown that 95% of rotator cuff tears are due to impingement. It is also thought that 100% of rotator cuff impingement demonstrate scapular dyskinesis.
Scapular Dyskinesis is the culprit of many shoulder problems, including bursitis, rotator cuff irritation, tendonitis, and rotator cuff sprains or strains. Scapular dyskinesis is typically does not cause any pain at first. When symptoms do start to occur, patients will feel pain at the front of the shoulder. Some patients will report pinching pain deep in the front portion or top of the shoulder when sleeping on their side or lifting objects overhead.
Our Approach to Scapular Dyskinesis
The most common reason we see scapular dyskinesis at our St. George chiropractic clinic is attributed to the tightness of the pectoral muscles and weakness of the lower trapezius and serratus anterior muscles. We take all our patients through various dynamic tests and check the shoulder’s range of motion to provide each patient with the proper rehab to get their scapula to start functioning correctly and pain free.
Your Visit With US
We start every visit with a comprehensive movement based assessment to identify any critical contributors to your pain. We then combine muscle release techniques with chiropractic adjustments to help relax your tight muscles and allow your body to move better and feel better. Then, most patients are brought to our rehab area, where we teach you how to extend your session’s benefits at home through stretches and exercises based on your needs and goals.
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