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Questions and Answers
What percentage of the patients had isolated suprascapular neuropathy?
What percentage of the patients had isolated suprascapular neuropathy?
What is a common symptom experienced by patients with suprascapular nerve entrapment?
What is a common symptom experienced by patients with suprascapular nerve entrapment?
What results from suprascapular nerve entrapment affecting the supraspinatus muscle?
What results from suprascapular nerve entrapment affecting the supraspinatus muscle?
Which muscle may show weakness due to suprascapular nerve injury at the spinoglenoid notch?
Which muscle may show weakness due to suprascapular nerve injury at the spinoglenoid notch?
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What movement may exacerbate shoulder pain in patients with suprascapular nerve entrapment?
What movement may exacerbate shoulder pain in patients with suprascapular nerve entrapment?
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Which condition may present similarly to suprascapular neuropathy?
Which condition may present similarly to suprascapular neuropathy?
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In which group of individuals might isolated infraspinatus paresis occur due to nerve injury?
In which group of individuals might isolated infraspinatus paresis occur due to nerve injury?
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What can cause lesions at the suprascapular notch?
What can cause lesions at the suprascapular notch?
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What is the primary function of the suprascapular nerve?
What is the primary function of the suprascapular nerve?
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Through which structure does the suprascapular nerve pass to reach the supraspinous area?
Through which structure does the suprascapular nerve pass to reach the supraspinous area?
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What is a common cause of injury to the suprascapular nerve?
What is a common cause of injury to the suprascapular nerve?
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Which muscle primarily performs the first 15 degrees of humeral abduction?
Which muscle primarily performs the first 15 degrees of humeral abduction?
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In which region may the suprascapular nerve be subjected to damage?
In which region may the suprascapular nerve be subjected to damage?
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What unusual activity has been associated with suprascapular nerve injury?
What unusual activity has been associated with suprascapular nerve injury?
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Which of the following muscles is predominantly an external rotator of the upper arm?
Which of the following muscles is predominantly an external rotator of the upper arm?
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Which condition has NOT been linked to suprascapular nerve injury?
Which condition has NOT been linked to suprascapular nerve injury?
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Study Notes
Suprascapular Nerve Anatomy
- Purely motor nerve, branch of upper brachial plexus
- Passes under trapezius, through suprascapular notch (bridged by superior transverse scapular ligament)
- Supplies supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles, and shoulder joint capsule
- Rare cutaneous branches have been documented
Suprascapular Nerve Function
- Supraspinatus: primarily responsible for first 15 degrees of arm abduction
- Infraspinatus: primarily responsible for external rotation of the upper arm
Suprascapular Nerve Lesions
- Can be injured in proximal upper brachial plexopathies or supraclavicular region (e.g., shoulder depression, dislocation)
- Fractures/excessive callus at suprascapular notch can compress the nerve
- Rotator cuff repair can cause injury
- Repetitive motions (e.g., cross-body adduction, overhead sports, phone use) are risk factors
- Occupational overuse, sports injuries (tennis, weightlifting, canoeing, volleyball), direct trauma, and ganglion cysts can damage the nerve
- Baseball pitchers and quarterbacks may experience suprascapular entrapment
Suprascapular Nerve Entrapment
- Entrapment can occur at suprascapular foramen (e.g., by ganglia, spinoglenoid cyst)
- Results in characteristic shoulder pain (aggravated by shoulder girdle movements), weakness, and atrophy of spinati muscles.
- Pain is deep, along superior scapula border, possibly radiating to arm
- Pain worsened by scapular adduction or head rotation away from affected shoulder
- Supraspinatus paresis causes abduction weakness; infraspinatus paresis impairs external rotation.
- Entrapment can also affect the infraspinatus muscle directly at the spinoglenoid notch (by hypertrophied inferior transverse scapular ligament or ganglion)
- Isolated infraspinatus weakness/paresis can result from lesions at the suprascapular notch or glenoid notch
Clinical Cases and Specificities
- Cases involving suprascapular nerve entrapment at the suprascapular notch, present with shoulder pain, atrophy, and weakness of supra/infraspinatus muscles
- Case of numbness in the lateral upper shoulder, despite the usually lack of sensory branches
- Isolated infraspinatus paresis is noted in volleyball players and bodybuilders.
- A patient's shoulder pain caused by entrapment, worsened by shoulder girdle movements often radiating to arm, associated with weakness and eventual atrophy of affected muscles
- Trauma and neuralgic amyotrophy are common causes of suprascapular neuropathy, often concurrent or associated with additional nerve involvements.
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Description
Explore the anatomy, functions, and potential lesions of the suprascapular nerve. This quiz covers the nerve's role in arm abduction and external rotation, as well as injury risks and implications for movement. Ideal for students studying anatomy or physical therapy.
