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Orthopedic & Manual Therapy Blog

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Pec Muscle Atrophy: Identify the Source of Weakness

11/28/2019

2 Comments

 
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When evaluating a patient with shoulder or neck pain, it is important to consider all of the structures that may contribute to their current symptoms. These structures include local muscles, peripheral or central nervous system dysfunction, soft tissue stabilizing structures, among others. Next, use this information in combination with other portions of the subjective history (mechanism of injury, description of symptoms, and pattern of symptoms) to identify the one or two primary causes of the problem.

No recent injury, shoulder or neck pain, but still muscle atrophy...

In this particular case, the patient denied any recent mechanism of injury, denied shoulder pain, and also did not report any neck pain.

​At this point of the subjective history, I was still considering the cervical spine, thoracic outlet region, pectoral muscle strain, and other nervous system dysfunction as all possible causes of the patient's muscle atrophy.
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Learn about The Guide to Efficient PT Exam
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Look Beyond the Local Muscle Atrophy

Since muscle atrophy was present (without signs of a single muscle trauma or strain), it is important to investigate other muscles with the same segmental and peripheral nerve contributions. This will determine if the weakness is localized or present in multiple muscle groups. Below I review the pectoralis muscle with a special emphasis on the sternocostal fibers. 
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Later in the evaluation, the patient remembered that his biceps brachii and pectoral muscle strength had gradually decreased on his right (involved side) versus his left over the past few months while strength training.  

This statement is very important because it most likely ruled out a muscle strain, and ruled in nervous system dysfunction. Further physical examination helped rule out red flags for cervical myelopathy. Additionally, muscle strength testing found weakness in other C5, C6, and C7 muscles. At this point, I concluded that he was safe for treatment, but needed regular reassessment to ensure no further progression of neurological symptoms. 

To learn more about the outcome of this patient, watch the video below!
(this video is taken from our insider access library)

Learn More ABout Shoulder and Neck Exam Efficiency
​
2 Comments
vladimir
3/22/2020 04:11:25 pm

how did this guy do?

Reply
Edwin Webo
12/13/2022 11:56:05 am

I have the exact same issue?did he get better

Reply



Leave a Reply.

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    Dr. Jim Heafner & Dr. Chris Fox write about their treatment philosophy.

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  • Home
  • About Us
  • Insider Access
    • About Insider Access
  • Online Courses
    • Hooper's Knee
    • Physical Therapist Entrepreneur Course
    • Physical Therapist Consultant Course
    • Orthopedic Management of the Cervical Spine
    • Return to Sport Essentials Course
  • Resources
    • Newsletter
    • Business Minded Sports Physio Podcast
    • Day in the Life of a Sports PT
    • Residency Corner
    • Special Tests >
      • Cervical Spine >
        • Alar Ligament Test
        • Bakody's Sign
        • Cervical Distraction Test
        • Cervical Rotation Lateral Flexion Test
        • Craniocervical Flexion Test (CCFT)
        • Deep Neck Flexor Endurance Test
        • Posterior-Anterior Segmental Mobility
        • Segmental Mobility
        • Sharp-Purser Test
        • Spurling's Maneuver
        • Transverse Ligament Test
        • ULNT - Median
        • ULNT - Radial
        • ULNT - Ulnar
        • Vertebral Artery Test
      • Thoracic Spine >
        • Adam's Forward Bend Test
        • Passive Neck Flexion Test
        • Thoracic Compression Test
        • Thoracic Distraction Test
        • Thoracic Foraminal Closure Test
      • Lumbar Spine/Sacroiliac Joint >
        • Active Sit-Up Test
        • Alternate Gillet Test
        • Crossed Straight Leg Raise Test
        • Extensor Endurance Test
        • FABER Test
        • Fortin's Sign
        • Gaenslen Test
        • Gillet Test
        • Gower's Sign
        • Lumbar Quadrant Test
        • POSH Test
        • Posteroanterior Mobility
        • Prone Knee Bend Test
        • Prone Instability Test
        • Resisted Abduction Test
        • Sacral Clearing Test
        • Seated Forward Flexion Test
        • SIJ Compression/Distraction Test
        • Slump Test
        • Sphinx Test
        • Spine Rotators & Multifidus Test
        • Squish Test
        • Standing Forward Flexion Test
        • Straight Leg Raise Test
        • Supine to Long Sit Test
      • Shoulder >
        • Active Compression Test
        • Anterior Apprehension
        • Biceps Load Test II
        • Drop Arm Sign
        • External Rotation Lag Sign
        • Hawkins-Kennedy Impingement Sign
        • Horizontal Adduction Test
        • Internal Rotation Lag Sign
        • Jobe Test
        • Ludington's Test
        • Neer Test
        • Painful Arc Sign
        • Pronated Load Test
        • Resisted Supination External Rotation Test
        • Speed's Test
        • Posterior Apprehension
        • Sulcus Sign
        • Thoracic Outlet Tests >
          • Adson's Test
          • Costoclavicular Brace
          • Hyperabduction Test
          • Roos (EAST)
        • Yergason's Test
      • Elbow >
        • Biceps Squeeze Test
        • Chair Sign
        • Cozen's Test
        • Elbow Extension Test
        • Medial Epicondylalgia Test
        • Mill's Test
        • Moving Valgus Stress Test
        • Push-up Sign
        • Ulnar Nerve Compression Test
        • Valgus Stress Test
        • Varus Stress Test
      • Wrist/Hand >
        • Allen's Test
        • Carpal Compression Test
        • Finkelstein Test
        • Phalen's Test
        • Reverse Phalen's Test
      • Hip >
        • Craig's Test
        • Dial Test
        • FABER Test
        • FAIR Test
        • Fitzgerald's Test
        • Hip Quadrant Test
        • Hop Test
        • Labral Anterior Impingement Test
        • Labral Posterior Impingement Test
        • Long-Axis Femoral Distraction Test
        • Noble Compression Test
        • Percussion Test
        • Sign of the Buttock
        • Trendelenburg Test
      • Knee >
        • Anterior Drawer Test
        • Dial Test (Tibial Rotation Test)
        • Joint Line Tenderness
        • Lachman Test
        • McMurray Test
        • Noble Compression Test
        • Pivot-Shift Test
        • Posterior Drawer Test
        • Posterior Sag Sign
        • Quad Active Test
        • Thessaly Test
        • Valgus Stress Test
        • Varus Stress Test
      • Foot/Ankle >
        • Anterior Drawer
        • Calf Squeeze Test
        • External Rotation Test
        • Fracture Screening Tests
        • Impingement Sign
        • Navicular Drop Test
        • Squeeze Test
        • Talar Tilt
        • Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome Test
        • Test for Interdigital Neuroma
        • Windlass Test