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Don't forget the serratus.

N E Miller¹, J L Merritt

¹Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905.

The Journal of the American Paraplegia Society

|July 1, 1990

Summary

Quadriplegic patients with C6 injuries can achieve independent transfers by utilizing the serratus anterior muscle. This study demonstrates how this muscle compensates for the lack of primary shoulder depressors, enabling weight shifting.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Rehabilitation Medicine
Biomechanics

Background:

Patients with C6 spinal cord injuries often lack shoulder depressor function, limiting independent transfers.
Traditional rehabilitation focuses on intact musculature, potentially overlooking compensatory strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the potential of the serratus anterior muscle in enabling independent transfers and weight shifting for C6 quadriplegic patients.
To document and analyze a specific compensatory technique used by a patient with a C6 injury.

Main Methods:

Case study of a patient with a complete C6 spinal cord injury demonstrating serratus anterior use for transfers.
Comparative analysis of the patient's movement against a subject with normal shoulder musculature.

Main Results:

Observed successful independent transfers and weight shifting in the C6 quadriplegic patient.
Demonstrated the serratus anterior's capacity to substitute for absent latissimus dorsi function in this context.

Conclusions:

The serratus anterior can be a viable muscle for enabling independent transfers in C6 quadriplegic individuals.
This compensatory strategy offers a potential pathway for improved functional independence in spinal cord injury rehabilitation.

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