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Supraspinatus Muscle – Attachments, Actions & Innervation

image descriptionSupraspinatus Muscle

Supraspinatus is a small muscle of the upper arm. It’s one of the four muscles that make up the rotator cuff.

Image showing superficial muscles of the back and posterior shoulder and arm. Labelled muscles: trapezius, deltoid, infraspinatus, teres major, triceps brachii (lateral head), triceps brachii (long head), latissimus dorsi.
Image showing deep muscles of the back and posterior shoulder. Supraspinatus highlighted. Labelled muscles: supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres major, teres minor, triceps brachii (lateral head), triceps brachii (long head).
Image with supraspinatus labelled.
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image descriptionAttachments of Supraspinatus :Origin & Insertion

Origin: (proximal attachments)
a. Supraspinous fossa of the scapula.

Insertion: (distal attachments)
a. Superior aspect of the greater tubercle of the humerus.

Image showing superficial muscles of the back and posterior shoulder and arm. Labelled muscles: trapezius, deltoid, infraspinatus, teres major, triceps brachii (lateral head), triceps brachii (long head), latissimus dorsi.
Image showing deep muscles of the back and posterior shoulder. Supraspinatus highlighted. Labelled muscles: supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres major, teres minor, triceps brachii (lateral head), triceps brachii (long head).
Image with supraspinatus labelled.
Image showing posterior view of back, shoulder and arm. Origin and insertion of supraspinatus labelled.
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Wondering how you’re going to revise everything you’ve learned? Look no further than this upper extremity muscle reference chart!

Actions of Supraspinatus:

a. Helps the deltoid muscle initiate the image descriptionabduction of the arm at the shoulder (glenohumeral) joint.

b. Helps stablize the shoulder by drawing the humerus toward the glenoid fossa of the scapula.

Innervation of Supraspinatus:

image descriptionNerve to the muscle:
a. Suprascapular nerve.

image descriptionNerve roots:
a. C5 and C6.

Image showing posterior view or suprascapular nerve and infraspinatus.
Image showing the brachial plexus with the suprascapular nerve and roots labelled.
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An Overview of the Posterior Muscles of the Arm:

Test yourself image of posterior view of back and right arm. No labels.
Test yourself image of posterior view of back and right arm. Muscles labelled: trapezius, deltoid, teres major, triceps brachii (lateral head), triceps brachii (long head), latissimus dorsi, extensor carpi radials longus, extensor carpi ulnaris.
Test yourself image of posterior view of back and right arm. Muscles labelled: splenius capitis, rhomboid minor, deltoid, rhomboid major, teres major, triceps brachii (lateral head), triceps brachii (long head), serratus posterior inferior, extensor carpi radials longus, extensor carpi ulnaris.
Test yourself image of posterior view of back and right arm. Muscles labelled: splenius capitis, serratus posterior superior, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, teres major, triceps brachii (lateral head), triceps brachii (long head), serratus posterior inferior, extensor carpi radials longus.
Test yourself image of posterior view of back and right arm. Muscles labelled: splenius capitis, splenius crevicis, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, teres major, triceps brachii (lateral head), triceps brachii (long head), erector spinae muscles, external oblique, internal oblique.
Test yourself image of posterior view of back and right arm. Muscles labelled: semispinalis capitis, elevator scapulae, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, teres major, triceps brachii (lateral head), triceps brachii (long head), erector spinae muscles, external oblique, internal oblique.
Test yourself image of posterior view of back and right arm. Muscles labelled: supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, teres major, triceps brachii (lateral head), triceps brachii (long head).
Test yourself image of posterior view of back and right arm. Muscles labelled: supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, teres major.
Test yourself image of posterior view of back and right arm. Muscles labelled: supraspinatus.
Test yourself image of posterior view of back and right arm. Origin and insertion of supraspinatus labelled.
Test yourself image of skeleton of posterior view of back and right arm.
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