title: Scapula alata: description of a physical therapy program and its effectiveness measured by a shoulder-specific quality-of-life measurement.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To date, there are no published outcomes-based treatment programs to guide clinicians when managing patients with scapula alata. The purposes of this study were to describe a physical therapy program in patients with scapula alata and to evaluate its effect using a shoulder-specific quality-of-life measurement.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this case series and retrospective study, 22 patients (11 female patients) with a median age of 34 years (interquartile range, 28-44 years), diagnosed with scapula alata caused by injury to the long thoracic nerve, were successively referred as outpatients to a physical therapy program at a university hospital. The program included (1) physical examination, (2) thoracic brace treatment, and (3) muscular rehabilitation. The treatment frequency and duration were determined individually. The effect was evaluated by a shoulder-specific quality-of-life questionnaire, the Western Ontario Rotator Cuff (WORC) Index. The WORC Index is grouped into 5 domains: physical symptoms, sport/leisure time, work, lifestyle, and emotional health.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed a highly significant improvement (P < .001) from pretest to post-test as measured by all 5 domains in the WORC Index.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study described in detail a physical therapy program; the program showed significant benefit. Further research is needed before recommending the program as a potential treatment option.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, Glostrup Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Glostrup, Denmark. Electronic address: Sigrid@tibaek.dk.
authors.forename: Sigrid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tibaek
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, Glostrup Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Glostrup, Denmark.
authors.forename: Janne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gadsboell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001915:Braces; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009864:Ontario; D010291:Paresis / Q000628:therapy*; D059348:Peripheral Nerve Injuries / Q000628:therapy*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012540:Scapula / Q000294:innervation*; D013900:Thoracic Nerves / Q000293:injuries*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Brace; physical therapy; rehabilitation; scapula alata; thoracic nerve