Comparison of Scapular Mechanics After Activity With and Without a Targeted Compression Garment

Muscle fatigue can result in scapular dyskinesis, which has been implicated in impingement, labral injury, and rotator cuff injury. This study evaluated the ability of a compression shirt to maintain scapular alignment after fatiguing of periscapular musculature. Subjects' scapular movements were monitored before and after a periscapular muscle- fatiguing exercise program. In the anterior and posterior tilt and medial and lateral rotation dimensions, control and shirt subjects both exhibited differences between the prefatigue and postfatigue measurements throughout humeral elevation. In the retraction and protraction dimension, control subjects exhibited differences between prefatigue and postfatigue measurements for a large portion of elevation, while shirt subjects only had different measurements toward the extreme of shoulder flexion. Thus the shirt does not stabilize the scapula in the anterior and posterior tilt and medial and lateral rotation dimensions. In the retraction and protraction dimension, the shirt provides stability to the scapula and maintains prefatigue position. It is currently unclear if preserving one plane of scapular motion has clinical significance. (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 28(1):18-23, 2019).