Static evaluation of scapular positioning in healthy individuals

OBJECTIVE Evaluate the static positioning of the scapula on the rib cage in healthy subjects by means of clinical and radiographic evaluation to assess inter-examiner reliability of clinical examination and verify the reliability of this evaluation method compared to the radiographic examination. METHODS We selected 30 adult individuals of both sexes with no diagnosis of shoulder pathology. The static clinical examination, following the protocol suggested by Burkhart et al, was performed repeatedly by two independent examiners, followed by the radiographic examination, which was later examined by the first evaluator. RESULTS 73.3% of the subjects showed positioning of the scapula considered normal. The inter-examiner reliability and that of the clinical examination in relation to radiography were considered low and very low, respectively. CONCLUSION The reproducibility of the evaluation performed by Burkhart was considered satisfactory to good, while the inter-examiner reproducibility of the clinical examination and the static reproducibility of the clinical examination with radiography were considered poor to satisfactory. Level of Evidence III, Study of Nonconsecutive Patients.