Pectoralis minor index range of healthy 18–24-year-old students from a Kenyan public university

Background: The pectoralis minor muscle (PMM) length is critical for shoulder movement and stability, often implicated in dysfunction and pain. The pectoralis minor index (PMI) quantifies this muscle’s length relative to body dimensions. Typical PMI values range from 10.0 cm to 12.5 cm in healthy ad...

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Main Authors: Eugene C. Agweyu, Joseph M. Matheri, Benita Olivier, Elzette Korkie
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AOSIS 2025-02-01
Series:South African Journal of Physiotherapy
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Online Access:https://sajp.co.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/2096
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author Eugene C. Agweyu
Joseph M. Matheri
Benita Olivier
Elzette Korkie
author_facet Eugene C. Agweyu
Joseph M. Matheri
Benita Olivier
Elzette Korkie
author_sort Eugene C. Agweyu
collection DOAJ
description Background: The pectoralis minor muscle (PMM) length is critical for shoulder movement and stability, often implicated in dysfunction and pain. The pectoralis minor index (PMI) quantifies this muscle’s length relative to body dimensions. Typical PMI values range from 10.0 cm to 12.5 cm in healthy adults, with data for Kenyan populations. Objectives: This study aimed to establish baseline PMI values among healthy 18–24-year-old university students in Kenya, examining variations by side dominance and sex to support clinical assessments. Method: A cross-sectional descriptive study recruited 289 healthy young adults from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) using stratified and simple random sampling. Data were collected through a self-developed, interviewer-administered questionnaire, achieving a 93.4% response rate. PMI values were measured in three postures: supine, relaxed, and standing. Results: In the standing relaxed position, the PMI mean was 10.6 cm on the dominant side and 11.2 cm on the non-dominant side, with significant variation indicated by a 95% confidence interval. A paired t-test revealed a significant difference between dominant and non-dominant sides (p  0.0001). Conclusion: Baseline PMI values for Kenyan young adults show significant differences by dominance and sex. These findings provide a foundational reference for assessing PMI in clinical settings, supporting physiotherapists and clinicians in evaluating and treating shoulder dysfunction using precise muscle length data. Clinical implications: Establishing baseline PMI values assists physiotherapists in identifying deviations, enabling targeted interventions for shoulder dysfunction.
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spelling doaj-art-af2efe5d1d5f4940bcb022091bc18f802025-08-20T02:02:15ZengAOSISSouth African Journal of Physiotherapy0379-61752410-82192025-02-01811e1e810.4102/sajp.v81i1.20961604Pectoralis minor index range of healthy 18–24-year-old students from a Kenyan public universityEugene C. Agweyu0Joseph M. Matheri1Benita Olivier2Elzette Korkie3Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi Kenya Medical Training College, The Nairobi Hospital, NairobiDepartment of Rehabilitation Sciences, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, NairobiCentre for Healthy Living Research, Oxford Institute of Allied Health Research, School of Sport, Nutrition and Allied Health Professions, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom Wits Cricket Research Hub for Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation, Department of Physiotherapy, School of Therapeutic Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, JohannesburgDepartment of Physiotherapy, School of Health Care Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, PretoriaBackground: The pectoralis minor muscle (PMM) length is critical for shoulder movement and stability, often implicated in dysfunction and pain. The pectoralis minor index (PMI) quantifies this muscle’s length relative to body dimensions. Typical PMI values range from 10.0 cm to 12.5 cm in healthy adults, with data for Kenyan populations. Objectives: This study aimed to establish baseline PMI values among healthy 18–24-year-old university students in Kenya, examining variations by side dominance and sex to support clinical assessments. Method: A cross-sectional descriptive study recruited 289 healthy young adults from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) using stratified and simple random sampling. Data were collected through a self-developed, interviewer-administered questionnaire, achieving a 93.4% response rate. PMI values were measured in three postures: supine, relaxed, and standing. Results: In the standing relaxed position, the PMI mean was 10.6 cm on the dominant side and 11.2 cm on the non-dominant side, with significant variation indicated by a 95% confidence interval. A paired t-test revealed a significant difference between dominant and non-dominant sides (p  0.0001). Conclusion: Baseline PMI values for Kenyan young adults show significant differences by dominance and sex. These findings provide a foundational reference for assessing PMI in clinical settings, supporting physiotherapists and clinicians in evaluating and treating shoulder dysfunction using precise muscle length data. Clinical implications: Establishing baseline PMI values assists physiotherapists in identifying deviations, enabling targeted interventions for shoulder dysfunction.https://sajp.co.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/2096pectoralis minor indexshoulder dysfunctionshoulder painmuscle lengthbaseline pmi values
spellingShingle Eugene C. Agweyu
Joseph M. Matheri
Benita Olivier
Elzette Korkie
Pectoralis minor index range of healthy 18–24-year-old students from a Kenyan public university
South African Journal of Physiotherapy
pectoralis minor index
shoulder dysfunction
shoulder pain
muscle length
baseline pmi values
title Pectoralis minor index range of healthy 18–24-year-old students from a Kenyan public university
title_full Pectoralis minor index range of healthy 18–24-year-old students from a Kenyan public university
title_fullStr Pectoralis minor index range of healthy 18–24-year-old students from a Kenyan public university
title_full_unstemmed Pectoralis minor index range of healthy 18–24-year-old students from a Kenyan public university
title_short Pectoralis minor index range of healthy 18–24-year-old students from a Kenyan public university
title_sort pectoralis minor index range of healthy 18 24 year old students from a kenyan public university
topic pectoralis minor index
shoulder dysfunction
shoulder pain
muscle length
baseline pmi values
url https://sajp.co.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/2096
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