During a visual assessment, if the client's left scapula is depressed, which muscle is likely to be hypertonic?

A depressed left scapula during a visual assessment suggests an imbalance in the muscles that control scapular positioning. In this scenario, the serratus anterior muscle plays a crucial role in stabilizing and protracting the scapula. If the left scapula is lower than the right, the serratus anterior on the left side may be underactive, while the muscle on the opposite side may become overactive or hypertonic due to compensatory movement patterns, leading to tension.

When the serratus anterior on one side is not functioning optimally, it can lead to an elevation of the opposite scapula and a subsequent hypertonicity in the muscles that compensate for the lack of stability and movement, especially during arm movements. This phenomenon may also involve other stabilizing muscles, but in the context of a depressed scapula, the hypertonic muscle associated with the left side would be the serratus anterior, as it tries to maintain proper scapular positioning.

Other choices involve muscles that could potentially be involved in shoulder movement or stability but do not specifically correlate with the visual assessment of a depressed scapula in the same manner as the serratus anterior.