People with serratus anterior palsy can experience painful scapular winging and reduced range of motion (ROM) while attempting to perform activities of daily living (ADLs). The scapula movement during the glenohumeral ROM begins during the first 30 degrees of abduction in the coronal plane and 60 degrees of flexion in the sagittal plane. It moves in a 1:2 ratio with the humerus; therefore, loss of scapular motion due to paralysis of the serratus anterior muscle can reduce active ROM in persons who suffer from this type of injury. Medial displacement of the scapula causes pain during these glenohumeral motions and is where the term scapular winging comes from. Scapular winging is primarily caused by serratus anterior palsy following an injury to the long thoracic nerve; additionally, trapezius palsy, rhomboid muscle palsy, and fascioscapulohumeral dystrophy can cause scapular winging. All of these scapular winging presentations have a history of attempted orthotic intervention dating back to the 1930s.

Serratus anterior palsy can be classified as acute, meaning the possibility of nerve recovery can be seen with EMG follow-ups three to six months post-injury, or as chronic, meaning no signs of recovery are seen after one year. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), the current best practices for managing chronic serratus anterior palsy involve either muscle transfer through the medial border of the scapula or a nerve transfer to restore or replace the function of the serratus anterior. Currently, literature on scapulothoracic bracing has shown improved but incomplete outcome results related to managing scapular winging.