Background: Pectoralis minor tightness is associated with reduced glenohumeral internal rotation range of motion (ROM) and scapular anterior tilt alignment. However, the synergistic effects of the pectoralis minor stretching exercise and scapular posterior tilt strategy on glenohumeral internal rotation ROM and pectoralis minor length remain unexplored. Objectives: This study examined the effects of doorway stretching with scapular posterior tilt on pectoralis minor length, scapular alignment, and glenohumeral internal rotation ROM. Design: A case series study. Methods: Fifteen adults with pectoralis minor tightness performed doorway stretching with scapular posterior tilt. Pectoralis minor length, acromion–table distance, and glenohumeral internal rotation ROM were measured before and immediately after stretching. The pectoralis minor length was calculated using the pectoralis minor index. The measured variables were analyzed using a paired t-test. Results: While the pectoralis minor index and glenohumeral internal rotation ROM significantly increased, the acromion–table distance markedly decreased after doorway stretching with scapular posterior tilt (P<.05). Conclusion: Based on the present findings, doorway stretching with scapular posterior tilt could be an effective exercise for increasing glenohumeral internal rotation ROM and pectoralis minor length.

The aims of the current study were to assess reliability of range of motion (ROM) measurement of glenohumeral internal rotation (GIR) with a pressure biofeedback stabilization (PBS) method and to compare the reliability between manual stabilization (MS) and the PBS method. In measurement of pure glenohumeral joint motion, scapular stabilization is necessary. The MS method in GIR ROM measurement was used to restrict scapular motion by pressing the palm of the tester’s hand over the subject’s clavicle, coracoid process, and humeral head. The PBS method was devised to maintain consistent pressure for scapular stabilization during GIR ROM measurement by using a pressure biofeedback unit. GIR ROM was measured by 2 different stabilization methods in 32 subjects with GIR deficit using a smartphone clinometer application. Repeated measurements were performed in two test sessions by two testers to confirm inter- and intra-rater reliability. After tester A performed measurements in test session 1, tester B’s measurements were conducted one hour later on the same day to assess the inter-rater reliability and then tester A performed again measurements in test session 2 for confirming the intra-rater reliability. Intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) (2,1) was applied to assess the inter-rater reliability and ICC (3,1) was applied to determine the intra-rater reliability of the two methods. In the PBS method, the intra-rater reliability was excellent (ICC=.91) and the inter-rater reliability was good (ICC=.84). The inter-rater and intra-rater reliability of the PBS method was higher than in the MS method. The PBS method could regulate manual scapular stabilization pressure in inter- and intra-rater measuring GIR ROM. Results of the current study recommend that the PBS method can provide reliable measurement data on GIR ROM.