Which nerve injury is most commonly associated with medial scapular winging?

• A. Long Thoracic nerve
• B. Axillary nerve
• C. Musculocutaneous nerve
• D. Suprascapular nerve

Answer: (A)

Medial scapular winging is primarily caused by dysfunction or injury to the long thoracic nerve. This nerve innervates the serratus anterior muscle, which plays a crucial role in stabilizing the scapula against the thoracic wall. When the long thoracic nerve is compromised, the serratus anterior can no longer effectively hold the scapula in place during arm movements. This results in the medial border of the scapula protruding away from the thorax, giving rise to the characteristic "winging" appearance.

In contrast, injuries to other nerves listed typically do not lead to this specific type of winging. For example, the axillary nerve primarily affects the deltoid muscle and can lead to shoulder joint instability but does not cause medial winging of the scapula. The musculocutaneous nerve mainly affects elbow flexion and sensations in the forearm. The suprascapular nerve innervates the supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles, impacting shoulder abduction and external rotation but again does not contribute to the winging of the scapula itself like the long thoracic nerve does.