For anti-gravity scapular adduction, where is the clinician's stabilization hand placed?

For anti-gravity scapular adduction, where is the clinician's stabilization hand placed?

• A. On the contralateral thorax
• B. On the opposite scapula
• C. On the lumbar spine
• D. On the wrist

Answer: (B)

Stabilization during this manual test is about anchoring the shoulder girdle so the movement you observe comes from the scapulothoracic joint on the tested side, not from other parts of the body. Placing the stabilizing hand on the opposite scapula fixes the non-test scapula in place, which prevents compensatory motions like trunk rotation or unwanted shoulder girdle movement that could skew the test. This allows the patient to perform true scapular adduction (retraction) against the examiner’s resistance, in an anti-gravity position. Stabilizing on the contralateral thorax or on the lumbar spine would not directly limit movement at the scapula and could introduce extraneous motion or rib cage movement. Stabilizing at the wrist wouldn’t control scapular motion at all, making it harder to isolate the retraction movement.

Stabilization during this manual test is about anchoring the shoulder girdle so the movement you observe comes from the scapulothoracic joint on the tested side, not from other parts of the body. Placing the stabilizing hand on the opposite scapula fixes the non-test scapula in place, which prevents compensatory motions like trunk rotation or unwanted shoulder girdle movement that could skew the test. This allows the patient to perform true scapular adduction (retraction) against the examiner’s resistance, in an anti-gravity position.

Stabilizing on the contralateral thorax or on the lumbar spine would not directly limit movement at the scapula and could introduce extraneous motion or rib cage movement. Stabilizing at the wrist wouldn’t control scapular motion at all, making it harder to isolate the retraction movement.