Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41540937›Full record

ArticleMuscle & nerve2026

Combined Use of EMG and Muscle Ultrasound for the Evaluation of Scapular Winging.

Benjamin P Rardin, James B Meiling, Michael S Cartwright, James B Caress

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Muscle & nerve, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Benjamin P RardinDepartment of Neurology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0008-8539-6775
James B MeilingDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2725-1825
Michael S CartwrightDepartment of Neurology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.
James B CaressDepartment of Neurology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

INTRODUCTION/

aimsScapular winging occurs as an abnormal protrusion of the scapula due to nerve injury, muscle weakness, bone, or joint pathology. The main muscular stabilizers of the scapula include the serratus anterior, trapezius, rhomboid major and minor, levator scapulae, and pectoralis minor. Needle electromyography (EMG) has historically been used as one of the primary diagnostic tests for evaluating this finding. However, sampling of these muscles can be technically difficult and carries risks for complications. Muscle ultrasound (MUS) can also reliably identify abnormalities in the muscles involved in scapular stabilization while offering the benefit of rapid side-to-side comparison and improved patient comfort. This study aims to highlight the concordance of ultrasound and EMG findings using our published MUS protocol in patients with scapular winging.

methodsA retrospective analysis was performed of 13 patients who presented to an electrodiagnostic (EDX) laboratory with the referral diagnosis of "scapular winging" or "scapular dyskinesis." All patients underwent MUS testing of scapular muscles according to a previously published protocol followed by EMG of muscles deemed relevant by the clinician.

resultsSeven patients were found to have a neurogenic cause of their scapular winging and in those patients, all had both EMG and MUS abnormalities. MUS was found to have a sensitivity of 87.5%, specificity of 95.7%, and individual muscle concordance with EMG of 90.6%. DISCUSSION: There is high concordance between EMG and MUS in patients with scapular winging. This combined with potential advantages of the MUS modality supports their concurrent use in patients with scapular winging.

Indexed as

ElectromyographyMuscle, SkeletalScapulaAdolescentAdultAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesUltrasonographyYoung Adultneuromuscular ultrasoundscapular dyskinesisscapular winging

Identifiers

PMID41540937
PMCPMC12888832

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