Immediate effects of scapular stabilizing exercise in chronic stroke patient with winging and elevated scapula: a case study.
Si-Eun Park, Yang-Rae Kim, Yong-Youn Kim
PMID 29410596WHAT IT FOUND
A chronic stroke patient with winging and elevated scapula had reduced scapular distance and faster cup lifting after supervised scapular protraction and retraction.
This is one person, not a pattern.
Key findings
01After 4 days of supervised scapular protraction and retraction exercises, the distance between the scapular medial border and the spinous process of T3 and T4 decreased from 8.2 cm before intervention to 6.5 cm on day 4.
02Time required to lift and lower a cup with the affected arm decreased from 9.9 seconds before intervention to 6.6 seconds on day 4.
03Compensatory motion in the neck and shoulder joint decreased when performing the cup task after intervention.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Only one subject was studied, so the findings describe her response and cannot show that the exercise works for other chronic stroke patients. The intervention lasted 4 days and was measured only before and immediately after each session, so effects beyond that period are not reported. She was also receiving treadmill and arm-ergometer treatment two times a week, so the contribution of the scapular exercise alone cannot be separated. This was a single case study with no comparison group or randomisation reported.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that scapular stabilizing exercise works for chronic stroke patients. One patient had reduced scapular distance and faster cup lifting after 4 days while also receiving treadmill and arm-ergometer treatment. This does not show the exercise alone or the effect in other patients.