Interscalene Triangle

Authors

Affiliations

Nathaniel Yomogida, B.S., SPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy

B.S. in Kinesiology

Chloë Kerstein, B.S., SPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy

B.A. in Neuroscience

The borders of the triangle are the lateral border of the scalenus anterior muscle, the medial border of the scalenus medius muscle, and the first rib inferiorly²

Dysfunction

Interscalene space compression can cause pathologies, such as thoracic outlet syndrome

• Thoracic outlet syndrome
  • The Adson’s Test is believed to improve
  • According to those who proposed the Adson’s Vascular test, this position theoretically tensions anterior and middle scalenes, compromising (compressing) the interscalene triangle³.

Contrasting biomechanical evidence finds the scalene angle to increase, which should reduce likelihood of compression³

References

1.

Gilroy AM, MacPherson BR, Wikenheiser JC, Voll MM, Wesker K, Schünke M, eds. Atlas of Anatomy. 4th ed. Thieme; 2020.

2.

Georgakopoulos B, Lasrado S. Anatomy, Head and Neck: Inter-scalene Triangle. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2024. Accessed January 29, 2024. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK544222/

3.

Dutton M. Dutton’s Orthopaedic Examination, Evaluation, and Intervention. 5th ed. McGraw Hill Education; 2020.