Background: After radical neck dissection, spinal accessory nerve damage can result in scapular muscle weakness, which causes shoulder pain, dysfunction, and a limited range of motion (ROM); scapular muscle strengthening exercises are used to reduce these symptoms. This report focuses on the importance of trapezius and serratus anterior strength exercises to reduce symptoms after radical neck dissection.
Case description: The patient was a 30-year-old female who had received radical neck dissection 3 years previously. She complained of shoulder pain, dysfunction, and limited ROM during shoulder elevation.
Outcome: She was successfully treated by increasing trapezius and serratus anterior strength and improving pain, function, and range of motion by applying the Neurac technique for 12 weeks. Further controlled studies are required to identify the generalizability of these findings.
Keywords: Neurac; radical dissection surgery; scapula muscle exercise.
