Entry By: Tambra Marik, OTR/L, OTD, CHT
The scapular assist test is performed with the therapist recreating the bio-mechanics of the scapula. The therapist manually upwardly rotates the scapula at the medial border with one hand while providing a posterior tilt at the superior border with the other hand. Often patients with impingement have a decrease of pain with scapular assistance (no diagnostic values or validity found for this test). Therapy Nugget: Manual scapular assist can be used for patients who can not tolerate stretching latissimus dorsi and pectoralis due to pain. Often this simply technique can be incorporated into clinical treatment. Try it. Your patients will be impressed!
Hi Tambra
So sorry we won’t see you this weekend. My staff of me and 2 other therapists were really looking forward to it. Hope all is well..
Would love to talk
Best best
Pam Silverman
I think this is a very useful technique in the clinic to help patients understand what an improved movement pattern feels like and what it can do for their pain. The question becomes how do you keep them moving in this pattern? Why are they in this pattern in the first place? Is it simply a weakness issue? Capsular tightness? Obviously identifying the reason behind the dysfunction is imperative. Thanks for the thoughts Tambra!
Similar idea to McConnell shoulder taping.
Yes, you may find the following study interesting (the article can be downloaded with no charge):
Does Scapula Taping Facilitate Recovery for Shoulder Impingement Symptoms? A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
Peter Miller, B Phty, Grad Cert H Sca and Peter Osmotherly, B Sc, Grad Dip Phty, M Med Scib
I have found short term pain relief with the taping method described in this study. Anything we can do to help get our patients out of pain and move them forward to function and exercises. Pull out the tools!
I went to your course in Denver and really learned a lot. I have been doing more shoulders in my practice and feel more confident in what to look for and how to treat them. I like the idea of the assist function you described above and can see where it would work for the folks who don’t tolerate stretching of the pect & l.d. because of pain. Can’t wait to try it out.
Hi Denise,
Thanks for the feedback! I am glad you are utilizing the course material.
With the scapular assist test we are recreating the biomechanics of the scapula. Therefore, if pain is reduced with this manual technique, it seems logical to assume there is some kind of movement impairment with the scapula force couple. This is just one little tool to use to help you move to the next step of rehabilitation working when working with scapular dyskenesia.