Bones of the postcranial skeleton of higher vertebrates originate from either somitic mesoderm or somatopleural layer of the lateral plate mesoderm. Controversy surrounds the origin of the scapula, a major component of the shoulder girdle, with both somitic and lateral plate origins being proposed. Abnormal scapular development has been described in the naturally occurring undulated series of m...

BACKGROUND Scapulothoracic muscle activity is believed to be important for normal scapulothoracic motion. In particular, the trapezius and serratus anterior muscles are believed to play an important role in the production and control of scapulothoracic motion. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of different levels of muscle activity (active versus passive arm elevation) on three...

Literature has revealed the importance of quantifying resting scapular posture in overhead athletes as well as quantifying scapular kinematics during dynamic movement. Prior to this project much of the attention in throwing research had been focused on the position of the humerus without description of the positioning of the scapula. Therefore, it was the purpose of this study to present scapul...

The scapula plays a key role in nearly every aspect of normal shoulder function. Scapular dyskinesis-altered scapular positioning and motion-is found in association with most shoulder injuries. Basic science and clinical research findings have led to the identification of normal three-dimensional scapular kinematics in scapulohumeral rhythm and to abnormal kinematics in shoulder injury, the dev...

Scapula neck fractures are rare injuries, leaving several treatment options. Standardized markers for operative treatment are a decreased glenopolar angle ≤22°, lateral border offset (LBO) of the glenoid ≥20 mm, angular deformity ≥45°, or LBO ≥15 mm plus angular deformity ≥35°. If operative treatment is not performed before union, the fracture heals malaligned with possible mechanical complicat...

Symptomatic scapular winging resulting in scapular dyskinesia leads to a wide spectrum of clinical complaints, most notably periscapular pain. The malpositioning of the scapula, termed through use of the acronym SICK (scapular malposition, inferior-medial border prominence, coracoid pain and malposition, and dyskinesia of scapular movement), is due to the irregular activity of one or more of th...

Painful snapping of the scapula may have an anatomical cause but is usually idiopathic. Most patients respond well to conservative measures such as physiotherapy or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Surgery can be performed if conservative treatment is unsuccessful. Conservative measures are less likely to be successful if a clear anatomical cause can be found. Several surgical techniques ...

Disorders of the shoulder complex can be accompanied by changes in the movement pattern of the scapula. However, scapular motion is difficult to measure. A possible non-invasive method for dynamic three-dimensional kinematic measurement of the human scapula is the use of a marker cluster placed on the flat part of the acromion. A small light-weight acromion marker cluster (AMC) is presented in ...

The scapulothoracic interface is made up of the anterior surface of the scapula and the posterior aspect of the thoracic cage. This space is occupied primarily by myofascial components. Upper extremity motion requires the movement of the scapula on the thoracic cage. To decrease friction between these two structures, the interface is lubricated by a serious fluid. Adhesions formation due to any...

Scapular dyskinesis in pitchers can potentially lead to impairments in the optimal performance of muscles of the shoulder complex. The purpose of this prospective study was to evaluate whether the use of a scapula stabilizing t-shirt can decrease stress and discomfort in over-head baseball pitchers. Thirty-two semi-professional baseball pitchers were divided into 2 groups. Group A dressed the s...