Table 1.

A summary of the proposed staging system. Key points and surgical considerations of each stage are listed on the right side.

Stage	Elevation	Deltoid function	Scapular winging	Key points	Surgical consideration
0	Full	Full	None	Normal shoulder function with FSHD diagnosis	Contraindicated. Absolute loss of function without any benefit
1	Above 120	Full	Mild	Near normal function with slight functional limitation	Has only cosmetic benefit. May cause loss of elevation. Preferably STA is avoided
2	90–120	Full	Mild/severe	Mild functional limitation	Provides slight functional benefit but mostly cosmetic. Can be considered as a contralateral side surgery for a symmetrical body image
3	Below 90	Full	Severe	Marked functional limitation and winging. Deltoid is functional	Surgery provides clear functional as well as cosmetic benefits. Best candidates for STA
4	Below 90	Partial	Mild	Deltoid function is affected. Less winging than stage 3	Surgery provides limited functional benefit. Patient expectations and lifestyle should be considered before surgery. Can be considered as a contralateral side surgery
5	Below 30	None	None	Loss of deltoid, no winging	Contraindicated. No functional benefits