Avoid rolling the ball directly over your bones and joints. Hold for 5 seconds and then return to the starting position. Keep the back straight and relax the shoulder. Rehabilitation after Clavicle Fracture Phase Four: starting 19 to 28 weeks after surgery Goals: 1. endobj 2-5 Because of the thick protective surrounding muscle envelope, the forgiving multiplanar ligaments, and the recoil of the chest wall, direct high-energy trauma is usually necessary to cause a scapular . Login Now. 7. Repeat 10 times. Scapular stabilization exercises are an important part of the rehab process with most causes of shoulder pain. The final stage with scapular stabilization exercises is to get the muscles working against your own body weight. These fractures include:Displaced glenoid articular surface fractureAngulated fractures of neck of the scapulaAcromion process fractures causing impingement The surgical procedure entails realigning the bone fragments to their normal position and keeping them in place with the help of screws and metallic plates. Now lets look at some of the best exercises for scapular stabilization using a resistance band. Abstract. Only about 10 percent of scapula fractures require surgery. Stopping smoking during the healing phase of your fracture will help ensure optimal recovery from this injury. . Advanced Scapular Stabilization Exercises. Use the sling for the first 3 weeks to allow the soft tissues to settle. The material on this website is intended for educational information purposes only. Cold packs: A cold pack (ice pack or frozen peas wrapped in a damp towel) can provide short term pain relief. It should not delay or substitute medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Scapular fractures. It can take 6 to 12 months to completely restore shoulder motion. Therapy usually . Dislocations occur when the bones on opposite sides of a joint do not line up. It may look swollen and red. Press hard into the wall by leaning your hips forward. Remove the sling and perform these exercises four times a day: Research shows that smoking increases the risk of poor healing after a fracture. Bring your shoulders back and squeeze your shoulder blades together as shown in the picture. Once pain-free strengthening exercises can be used to regain full strength and maintain healthy movement patterns at the shoulder. Home; Follow. Treatment will depend on the damage and the kind of fracture you have. General Principles of Rehabilitation for Fractures Treat the patient not the fracture Move all joints that are not immobilized . Very informative" Marilyn, "I benefited a lot Do it for around 10 times. See 3 Questions and Answers about Shoulder Blade Fractures. X Avoid heavy lifting for the full 6 weeks. This is known as scapulothoracic rhythm. To help with this, the patient can be taught how to properly perform a scapular push-up. 24 0 obj Kevin J. McQuade, John Borstad, Anamaria Siriani de Oliveira. Progressions:a. Pulse the arms up and down at the end range of the movementb. It is important that you consider this information with relation to your recent injury. This is a read only version of the page. Repeat the same steps with your other arm. lateral view. Begin this exercise by leaning forwards with your unaffected arm supported on a table or bench (figure 6). Scapula Fracture Anatomy. You have questions or concerns about your condition or care. The, when you have regained full movement without helping with your other arm, you can build up your regular day to day activities. Hold a weight/can in your hand. Begin this exercise in a position of comfort (often beginning with your forearm and palm on your chest). Application of ice to reduce pain and swelling is recommended. Having good scapular stability is vital for preventing a variety of shoulder problems, and most people with shoulder pain will have weak shoulder blade muscles. Treating a Scapula Fracture. Avoid heavy lifting for . Your physiotherapist can advise when it is appropriate to begin the initial exercises and eventually progress to the intermediate, advanced and other exercises. Push until you feel a stretch. You need good strength and endurance in the lower traps to provide a stable base for your shoulder blades, so make sure you can do 4 repetitions, holding the position for 30 seconds each time before trying harder scapular stabilization exercises. axillary view. Written By: Chloe WilsonBSc (Hons) PhysiotherapyReviewed By: SPE Medical Review Board. With your thumb facing up, try to move your arm up, keeping it close beside your body. Slowly start to do more each day. Top Tip: Keep thinking about the area between the bottom of your shoulder blades that is the area you should be using to maintain stability with these scapular stabilization exercises, Progressions:a. Pulse the arms up and down as you hold the positionb. acromi clavicular separation. Once more normal scapular mechanics have been restored, higher weights with lower repetitions may be used to promote power. August 2016, "Such an informative and valuable site. This focuses on building up the strength and endurance of the lower trapezius muscles. Passing through two hands equally, drive . The scapula, or shoulder blade, is the bone located in the back of your shoulder between the shoulder and the spine. However, once they become easy you can start with the posture and pendulum exercises. scapular fracture in a collegiate football player can be successful. Pendular Exercises: Start this exercise by leaning forwards with uninjured arm placed on a table. References 1. First step is to examine and evaluate the position and posture of the shoulder joint. << A. Scapular SettingB. Most scapular fractures will heal within 6 weeks, but it may take months before full functional recovery is achieved. Hand, wrist and elbow exercises are only needed while you are wearing a sling. It often takes 1-2 months of doing daily scapular stabilization exercises to notice a real difference, so stick with it - it will be worth it! Scapular fractures. Find a physiotherapist in your local area who can treat a scapula fracture. Members Only ContentBecome a PhysioAdvisor Member to gain full access to this exclusive content. Any surgery poses some risk, such as nerve and blood vessel damage, bleeding, or infection. Sayed, "Hi Resistance Band Rows. Even offers many rehab exercises. Kevin J. McQuade, John Borstad, Anamaria Siriani de Oliveira. The most common cause of Scapula Fracture or Broken Shoulder Blade are high speed automobile accidents, but falls and blows to the region can also result in Scapula Fracture or Broken Shoulder Blade. CT. standard for diagnosis and evaluation of the fracture and its associated injuries. In general, union (the initial healing) of a scapula fracture (i.e. table as shown, Draw your shoulder blades back and down into the scapular squeeze position, Let your elbows bend and your chest drop and perform a push up, Lie on your front, with your elbows and forearms tucked underneath you, Lift your chest and hips into a half plank position so you are resting on your forearms and knees, Holding that position, first draw your shoulder blades back towards your spine (retraction), then push them forwards in the opposite direction (protraction), lifting your upper back, Lie face down with your feet wide apart, hands directly underneath your shoulders and toes tucked under, Push up into a full plank position and hold, Lift up one arm, bending the elbow and draw the shoulder blade back and down, Slowly lower the arm back down and repeat on the other side, Repeat 20-30 times on each arm, alternating sides. Risk of infection . /Ascent 952 2 Do this with or without your sling on. Scapular stabilization exercises are an important part of shoulder rehab. Not only will these exercises strengthen and stop your shoulder blades sticking out, they are also great for building upper body strength too. American Journal of Sports Medicine . Align it on your chest and shoulder-width apart. Treatment involves immobilization with a sling or a shoulder immobilizer, icing and pain medications. Scapular body fractures are typically treated nonsurgically with good results. /FontWeight 400 In one study, that accumulated data for 7920 player participation hours across a range of sports and 306 players, the reported . Scapula Fractures are uncommon fractures to the shoulder girdle caused by high energy trauma and associated with pulmonary injury, head injury, and increased injury severity scores. scapula isometrics, no resistance exercises. 1. endobj This will keep them from getting stiff. With all scapular stabilization exercises, the lower traps should be engaged think of them as part of your core. Treatment of Scapula Fractures: Systematic Review of 520 Fractures in 22 Case Series. Displaced fractures often require surgery and may result in injury to the adjacent muscles. They may do another x-ray to evaluate the position of the fracture. Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Journal. Slowly lift your arms up and away from your back. You can stop these once they become easy and you have full movement. Cain T, Hamilton W (1992) Scapular fractures in professional football players. The shoulder blade (scapula) is a triangular-shaped bone that is protected by a complex system of surrounding muscles. Scapula Fracture Shoulder 10. X-rays generally provide a clear picture of structures like bone. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Scapular fractures represent just 1% of all fracture injuries likely due to the relatively deep location of the scapula body and surrounding musculature (2). Weeks 6-12. Third Party materials included herein protected under copyright law. Passive stretching exercises during the rehabilitation phase are continued till there is full range of motion of the . Examples of nonsurgical treatment include: Watch Video: How to Make 5 Quick and Easy Ice Packs. Shoulder Blade Squeeze. To perform the exercie: Stand or sit down, but keep your back and neck straight. Maintain this position for about 5 seconds and repeat around 10 times. Critical and Theoretical Perspective on Scapular Stabilization: What Does It Really Mean, and Are We on the Right Track? It will feel quite different than with your arms by your sides, Then lift your hands so your forearms are parallel with the bed, hold and then lower, Aim to hold for 30 seconds, 4 repetitions, Lie face down with your arms stretched out above your head as shown, thumbs pointing up towards the ceiling, Draw the shoulder blades back and down and slowly lift your arms upwards towards the ceiling, Stand, holding a ball against the wall at shoulder height, Draw your shoulder blades back and down to set the scapula and lean into ball, Roll the ball in small circles, leaning through the ball throughout and maintaining the scapular squeeze, Stand facing a wall and lift your arms forwards, elbows straight, so your hands just reach the wall, Draw your shoulder blades back and down to set the scapula, Bend your elbows slowly to bring your chest towards the wall, like you are doing a press up, Then push back through your hands to come back up, maintaining the scapular squeeze throughout, Tie the resistance band to something stable e.g. After a few days, put your fingers, wrist, and elbow through their full range of motion several times a day. 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