Damage to which nerve is most commonly associated with scapular winging?

Scapular winging is primarily associated with damage 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 cannot properly engage, leading to a lack of support for the scapula during arm movement. This results in the scapula protruding away from the back, creating the characteristic "winging" appearance.

The other nerves listed have different functions and are not primarily responsible for this condition. For instance, the suprascapular nerve innervates the supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles, which are important for shoulder stabilization and movement but do not directly influence the position of the scapula in the context of winging. The axillary nerve primarily innervates the deltoid and teres minor muscles, playing a role in shoulder abduction and external rotation rather than scapular position. The medial pectoral nerve innervates the pectoralis major and minor muscles, affecting chest movement but not scapular winging. Thus, damage to the long thoracic nerve is distinctly linked to scapular winging due to its direct role in serr