Research Article
Intratherapist Reliability in the Rating of Scapula Posture in Multiple Planes of Reference
Table 1
Criteria for rating of scapular posture in the five planes.
| Rating | Criteria |
| Scapula plane | | Upwardly rotated | Scapula spine has a strong supero-lateral inclination, medial scapula border has a strong infero-lateral inclination. | Neutral | Scapula spine has a slight supero-lateral inclination, medial scapula border has a slight infero-lateral inclination. | Downwardly rotated | Scapula spine has a horizontal or infero-lateral inclination, medial scapula border has an infero-medial inclination. | Sagittal plane | | Anteriorly tilted | Inferior scapular angle is prominent relative to the thorax and the superior angle. | Neutral | Scapula sits flush on the thorax with no prominence of the inferior scapular angle. | Posteriorly tilted | Scapular has minimal or no forward inclination, superior angle is prominent relative to the thorax. | Transverse plane | | Internally rotated | Entire medial scapular border is prominent relative to the thorax. | Neutral | Scapula is rotated forward (in the vicinity of 30 degrees) with no prominence of the medial scapular border. | Externally rotated | Scapula has minimal or no forward rotation in the transverse plane. | Vertical plane | | Elevated | Medial scapular spine and inferior scapular angle superior to the T3-4 and T7–9 spinous processes, respectively. | Neutral | Medial scapular spine and inferior scapular angle level with the T3-4 and T7–9 spinous processes, respectively. | Depressed | Medial scapular spine and inferior scapular angle inferior to the T3-4 and T7–9 spinous processes, respectively. | Horizontal plane | | Protracted | Medial scapular border rests further than approximately 2 inches from the midline. | Neutral | Medial scapular border rests approximately 2 inches from the midline. | Retracted | Medial scapular border rests closer than approximately 2 inches from the midline. |
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