Loss, paralysis and lesion of the thoracic nerve longus

Damage to the long thoracic nerve is not very common. This is manifested by pain, reduced mobility of the shoulder and arm, and protrusion of the shoulder blade to the rear. The most common cause of damage to the nerve is carrying a heavy rucksack or bag for too long, the belt of which presses on the lateral thorax above the thoracic nerve longus.

This is called pressure lesion. Traumatic events such as a blow can also damage the nerve. The nerve can also be damaged as a result of surgery in the armpit or thoracic cavity.

The nerve can also be affected more frequently in the course of inflammatory processes. The nerve can also be damaged by jerky or very extreme movements of the shoulder girdle and arm. These lesions can regress either completely, partially or not at all, depending on their cause and extent.

Scapula alata

Since the thoracic longus nerve innervates the anterior serratus muscle, damage to the nerve results in functional failure of the muscle. One of the tasks of the muscle is to fix the shoulder blade to the thorax. For this purpose, a forward pull in the direction of the chest is continuously exerted on the shoulder blade.

If the nerve is damaged, this now means that the shoulder blades or the scapula protrude backwards. This is often referred to as wing-like protrusion dorsally. The symptom is aggravated when the arms are to be lifted forward against resistance.Furthermore, if the scapula alata is present, it is no longer possible to raise the arms sideways above the horizontal.

The cause of the symptom of scapula alata can be a lesion of the thoracic nerve longus. However, other diseases may also be the cause.

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