2019 Volume 22 Issue 1 Pages 32-38
Shoulder complex consists of sternoclavicular, acromioclavicular, glenohumeral, and scapulothoracic joint and is one of the largest and most complex joint in human body. The normal movement of these joint is required for shoulder function. In particular, to keep the large range of motion of shoulder complex, the movement of scapulothoracic joint referred to as scapular movement is essential for its flexible movement. Scapular dyskinesis has been defined as the set of abnormal position and movement of scapula and was seen in patient with shoulder disease such as impingement syndrome and rotator cuff tear. One cause of scapular dyskinesis is the increase in stiffness of soft tissue such as muscles. Shear wave elastography is an attractive technique to quantify muscle mechanical property. We applied this technique to verify the efficiency of stretching maneuvers for individual muscle used in physical therapy. In this review article, we focused pectoralis minor muscle, which is one of the causes of scapular dyskinesis, and provided the knowledges about effective stretching maneuver for this muscle and interaction between scapular movement and muscle stiffness of this muscle.
