Strength Profile of Scapular Muscles in Collegiate Students

Background and Aim Scapula plays an important role in shoulder function and requires both significant mobility and stability of the shoulder complex. Muscles such as levator scapulae rhomboids serratus anterior and trapezius play an important role in rotational movements and scapular stabilization. Scapula also plays a very important role in coordinating and maintaining the shoulder kinematics. Functionally the muscles of scapula stabilizing the scapula is vital during pulling throwing and overhead arm movements. Thus any injury to the scapula leads to muscle weakness resulting in functional limitations such as throwing pulling and performing overhead activities. Scapular muscle weakness can also cause scapular dyskinesia which is the abnormal mobility or function of the scapula and the scapular bony prominence will be prominent. Thus strengthening of scapular muscles is very important for the prevention of scapular dyskinesis. There are limited studies with respect to strength profile in collegiate students. Hence there is a need to understand the strength profile of scapular muscles in college students. The objective of this study was to determine the strength profile of scapular muscles.Methodology This was an observational study involving 111 subjects. The participants were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria from a physiotherapy college. The participants in the age group of 18-23 years with a normal range of motion ROM were recruited. Exclusion criteria included participants with any recent fractures of upper limb any kind of limited shoulder disorders neuron disorders participants with limited shoulder ROM due to pain and or stiffness. Strength was assessed using dynamometer and lateral pulldown machine for the individual shoulder muscles. A descriptive analysis was conducted in this study and the data were presented as strength measured in pounds lbs.Results The strength profile of scapular muscles for both men and women in the age group 18-22 years was presented in pounds lbs. Among men strength of right-side rhomboids 16.04plusmn5.64 right side middle trapezius 15.56 plusmn5.79 and for right side lower trapezius 16.30plusmn5.77 were higher than the left sided strength for the same muscles. Even among women strength of right-side rhomboids 18.99plusmn9.69 right sided middle trapezius 17.75plusmn9.60 and right sided lower trapezius 18.53plusmn9.53 were greater compared to left side.Conclusion From this study it was concluded that young men have more strength compared to young women. As no data regarding normative values is available the values obtained in our study cannot be compared to normal values. However the analysis showed that right side has more strength in both men and women.