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Case Reports
. 2025 Nov 20;15(4).
doi: 10.2106/JBJS.CC.25.00391. eCollection 2025 Oct 1.

Treatment of Persistent Pectoralis Minor Hyperactivity and Compensatory Trapezius Hypertrophy Using Arthroscopic Release: A Case Report

Tobias Gruber  1   2 , Verena Edler  1   3 , Markus Scheibel  4
Affiliations
Case Reports

Treatment of Persistent Pectoralis Minor Hyperactivity and Compensatory Trapezius Hypertrophy Using Arthroscopic Release: A Case Report

Tobias Gruber et al. JBJS Case Connect. .

Abstract

Case: We report on a 20-year-old male patient with shoulder pain and severely altered scapulothoracic kinematics due to pectoralis minor muscle hyperactivity and compensatory trapezius hypertrophy. After failed conservative treatment, an isolated arthroscopic release of the pectoralis minor tendon was performed, resulting in substantial pain relief and improved range of motion in the 6-week follow-up and sustained benefits 6 years later.

Conclusion: Persistent pectoralis minor hyperactivity may be the cause of altered scapulothoracic movement, resulting in pronounced hypertrophy of the trapezius muscle. It can be safely treated with an isolated arthroscopic detachment of the pectoralis minor tendon.

Keywords: pectoralis minor STAM; pectoralis minor release.

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Conflict of interest statement

No funding was disclosed by the authors. Conflicts of interest: The authors, their immediate families, and any research foundation with which they are affiliated have not received any financial payments or other benefits from any commercial entity related to the subject of this article. Disclosure: The Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest forms are provided with the online version of the article (http://links.lww.com/JBJSCC/C754).

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