Suprascapular Nerve Injury

Excerpt

There is an increasing interest in the literature regarding the clinical presentation of suprascapular nerve (SSN) injuries. While the underlying etiology of suprascapular neuropathy remains elusive, multiple compression, traction, and inflammatory pathophysiologic cascades have been previously considered. The latter are often readily grouped together with other clinical manifestations of SSN dysfunction and inevitably become labeled as idiopathic. The anatomically tortuous course of the SSN predisposes it to direct mechanical compression at the suprascapular and spinoglenoid notches (see Image. Suprascapular Nerve Course, Arthroscopic Image). Moreover, anatomic variations along the nerve's course and occupational or athletic overuse conditions, especially in overhead athletes, can predispose the SSN to varying degrees of dysfunction.