Reliability and validity of active and passive pectoralis minor muscle length measures.
Margaret Finley, Noel Goodstadt, Daniel Soler and 3 others
PMID 28454725WHAT IT FOUND
A caliper method gave consistent pectoralis minor muscle length measures at rest, with active shoulder blade lift, and with passive shoulder stretch in 34 pain-free young adults.
Both lengthening methods increased length beyond rest.
Key findings
01The caliper method gave consistent pectoralis minor muscle length values when the same rater measured again and when different raters measured.
02Active and passive lengthening increased pectoralis minor muscle length by 3.66 cm and 4.72 cm on average compared with resting length.
03The difference between active and passive lengthening was 1.06 cm.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The participants were 34 pain-free young adults, so the results may not apply to older adults or people with shoulder pain. One of the 35 enrolled participants was omitted because of a recording error. The passive measurement required two examiners, which may be impractical in a busy clinic. The difference between active and passive lengthening was 1.06 cm and was within the reported measurement error. The authors state that what constitutes a shortened pectoralis minor muscle is currently unknown.
Declared interests
The study received no specific grant from public, commercial, or not-for-profit funding agencies, and the authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the 3.66 cm and 4.72 cm increases as proof that stretching the pectoralis minor muscle treats shoulder pain. The study measured length in pain-free young adults and did not test symptoms or function.