United Brachial Plexus Network

Hi,
I was wondering if anyone could help me with my winging scapula. I'm in Australia and it's quite a mystery to all the Doctors here. It's my dream/life goal to get this fixed and I'm willing to do anything possible. So here is a basic rundown of my problem;
- 29 year old athlete
- 7-8 years ago I suffered a weightlifting injury which was diagnosed as a Supraspinatus tear
- Tear healed but shoulder never fully recovered, I wasn't sure why
- 5 years ago I started to realize my scapula was winging
- Been to many Doctors/Neurosurgeons and have not got a definitive diagnosis
- Nerve Conduction Study/EMG show normal Serratus, Trapezius and Romboid Major
- Rhomboid Minor and Levator Scapula not tested, I feel these are the problems
- I remember an EMG from when i first did the injury mentioned something about 'borderline' issues/changes in the rhomboid minor
- My Trapezius is massively overdeveloped to compensate-
- Missing major musculature of the side/back of the neck, like a 'chunk' is missing
- Daily life is a lottery, some days the shoulder/neck is painless, others it is tight, sore and my arm feels numb and dead
- Feels like my scapula 'floats' there
- Full ROM in arm but weightlifting exercises are severely limited
-vPictures are below
- Any advice or anyone with a similar problem I'd love to hear it thanks

Hi Jarrod: I am dealing with a similiar situation regarding winging of the scapula. However, yours is a little tough to figure out. The serratus anterior was normal strength/activity on the EMG? Have you had an MRI yet? And if so, you may want to get a second one done if at all possible. It almost sounds like it could be a cervical disc issue as the muscle on the side of the neck is atrophied (if I understand the "chunk" out of it correctly) And all 3 trap muscles tested out ok on EMG? I know that there is winging of the scapula when ONE of the trapezius muscles is affected but the winging is more noted on the TOP of the scapula, not on the inner or medial side of the scapula. The last idea that I would have for you would be to rule out Parsonage Turner syndrome (hope I spelled that right) That is a disease (which I think usually resolves on its own) which leads to winging scapula but sometimes the EMG on the serratus etc comes back normal. Your case is very unique from what I have researched. Mine was straight up damage to the long thoracic nerve which resulted in the winging. I am now looking into getting a pectoralis tendon transfer done to stabilize the scapula........Best of luck with everything and I will try to provide more info if I can. Take care and hang in there!

Hi Jarrod,

My situation has many similarities to yours. I'm 30, in Australia and injured my shoulder aged 19. It is also a dream of mine to resolve this issue. Unfortunately, I have no solutions though happy to share my experience:

My story:
- shoulder/serratus anterior injured while carrying a stretcher on fatigued shoulder. felt a very severe pop under my armpit, felt my shoulder pull pretty hard out of the socket until I dropped the stretcher from the pain
- I started winging after this incident
- went to numerous doctors/physios/osteos, etc. who had no idea what the problem was...my winging isn't as bad as many i've seen online and that my physio has shown me, however, it's super weak and stops me playing sport/being as active as I want to be
- had EMG which came up all clear (Deltoid, infraspinatus, supraspinatus, serratus anterior, rhomb major)
- doctor hypothesised my issues might be a result of shoulder instability
- to rule this out, had a shoulder arthroscope about 11 months ago which identified a labrum tear which was fixed with shoulder reconstruction and capsule tightening
- 11 months down the track, this doesn't seem to have fixed my issues, still winging, still weak
- the good news is that it has ruled out shoulder dysfunction as the cause of my issues
- From my (hours and hours) of reading, I understand that the only options are nerve decompression (low chance of success for me since the initial injury was 11 years ago..research says you need to get this done between 2-7 years after injury) or muscle transfer (lets see...)

Google 'pec major transfer for treatment of serratus anterior winging'...it looks pretty brutal but has a reasonable success rate (assuming that serratus anterior dysfunction is the cause of the problem, but this of course is hard to identify when EMG comes back OK).

Anyway mate, would love to speak in more detail and compare notes if you are still checking out this forum.

MM

I know all about a mess up shoulder and Scapula, it was broken on me and the doctor broke my elbow to and I ended up with birth erbs to 62 years ago and getting older does not help my looks ether Being drag out of my mom with forceps, did this to me at birth
I look in the mirror looking at my arm and hand and kids calling me stud arm , I got in so many fights when I was little, but I look less in the mirror and adapt the best I could with what I could in life. I live without hope or help and many here post to on forums , who live this like to.
Mirror only make you fell bad and deepest, We all get over our look by are trys, no matter outcome.
The joy is looking in our mirror, and smile by trys to adapt that do work Our post Sure underline this fact no matter when these injuries happen.
I dont know if this will help,
Looking in the mirror is far better with a smile by our trys , I think
I am crazy because of driving semis and motorcycles with erbs , but I can Tell you are doing great To !!! I guess were all crazy in our own way, because we will never give up trying By So may posts to. , No matter when these injuries happen
Tom

Now For part 2,
Tom

That was one side to look at limitation, from my last post But
Now I thought about your wing issue more because what the winging causes with function
If you Guys like the water than finding a stoke that will pull the wing in??? MAYBE just a try. The best exercise I do alot after 12 hour driving a semi was to lean back and slowly try to put my scapula together, this stretch I have done for years The last thing is wrapping it, I work nights at UPS and lifted alot Of freight and 25 years driving and unloading Semis it seem to help, It seems I was always beating up my erbs, You Bet We NEVER EVER fail by trying, a World of post like mine !!!!
The last thing is scuba in Australia, Who Dives,It on my bucket list I am in AWWWWW with you guy trys, This is what I look like my scapula has a dent in in ware the doctor broke my scapula it wings , by dent What I hate most is , the waiters arm, L shape + broken elbow at birth to It has pop out of socket, and a CRAKE , to put it in.
Theses Hope and there POST!!!! Just to what you guys , adapted to!!! Awesome Where Nut with Spirit
Mr Positive you Bet Sometimes Mirror , SUCK I get it Depression and pain are really, so is finding the positive in a negative, it is far better to focus on a try then Period

Just Thinking Who ever knows what helps
Tom