What do you know about the serratus anterior?
Another function of the serratus anterior is the active stabilization of the scapula within the shoulder. Finally, in a fixed scapula the muscle lifts the ribs and acts as an accessory inspiratory muscle. Solidify your knowledge about the serratus anterior and other thoracic muscles with our quiz:
How does the serratus anterior move the scapula?
The contraction of the entire serratus anterior leads to a ventrolateral movement of the scapula along the ribs. Due to the pull of the inferior part at the lower scapula, the shoulder joint is shifted superiorly. This shifting now enables to lift the arm above 90° (elevation).
What exercises work the serratus anterior?
Exercises that may be done to improve the strength and function of your serratus anterior may include: Supine punches: Lie on your back with your arm raised up towards the ceiling. Make a fist, and then slowly punch up towards the ceiling. Hold the position for three seconds, and then slowly lower your arm back down.
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Why does my shoulder wing?
An injury to your shoulder or rotator cuff may also cause scapular winging. Conditions like rotator cuff tear or a shoulder separation may cause pain and inhibition of the muscles that support your shoulder. If the serratus anterior becomes inhibited, it may fail to adequately hold your shoulder blade to your ribs, leading to scapular winging. 3
Why does my scapula wing?
A condition known as Parsonage-Turner Syndrome may affect your brachial plexus and the long thoracic nerve. This brachial neuritis may cause weakness in your serratus and manifest as the telltale scapular winging. 5
What is the serratus anterior?
Rehabilitation. The serratus anterior is a muscle that attaches your shoulder blade, known as your scapula, to your rib cage. The muscle helps to move your scapula in various directions and is essential for proper shoulder function. Injury to the serratus anterior is rare, but if it happens, you may require rehabilitation to get your shoulder ...
How to strengthen the serratus anterior?
Exercises that may be done to improve the strength and function of your serratus anterior may include: Supine punches: Lie on your back with your arm raised up towards the ceiling. Make a fist, and then slowly punch up towards the ceiling. Hold the position for three seconds, and then slowly lower your arm back down.
What muscles are used to pull the scapula against the back of the ribs?
When they contract together, they work with the rhomboid muscles to pull your scapula tight against the back of your ribs.
What nerves move the scapula?
Each of the divisions of the muscle function together to move your scapula in various directions. The serratus anterior is innervated by the long thoracic nerve . This nerve originates from the brachial plexus, a bundle of nerves that emerge from your cervical spine and course down your shoulders and arms.
How many divisions are there in the serratus anterior?
There are three divisions of the serratus anterior. These are:
What causes a winged scapula?
If either the nervous supply or blood supply to the serratus anterior muscle is sufficiently interrupted, through either trauma or tumor invasion, this can cause a condition known as winged scapula. In order to test for this condition, a medical professional watches a patient perform a standing pushup maneuver against a wall. If there is dysfunction of the serratus anterior muscle, the medial edge of the scapula will lift off the back of the chest wall on the affected side, giving the appearance of a wing.
What is the function of the serratus anterior muscle?
It is made up of several smaller muscles, giving it a serrated, or toothed appearance, and its primary function is to stabilize and affix the scapula, or shoulder blade, to the chest wall. If its function is impeded, the scapula may lift off ...
Why is the anterior muscle called the serratus?
The muscle is called serratus anterior due to its attachment, and due to its structure. As it is made up of eight segments in a typical person, it has a serrated appearance much like that of a serrated knife. It is possible to observe this looking in the mirror with your arms raised. The lateral thoracic arteries supply blood to ...
How does the scapula work?
Specifically, it abducts and upwardly rotates the scapula -- pulling the medial aspect of the scapula forward and up. This serves to anchor the scapula against the chest wall during abduction of the arm, when the arm is pressed back as in a pushup.
Where does the serratus anterior muscle attach?
At the other end, the serratus anterior muscle inserts into the anterior aspect of the medial border of the scapula -- or the front facing side of the middle edge of the shoulder blade.
What chapter is Gross Anatomy?
The Big Picture: Gross Anatomy, Section 6. Upper Limb, Chapter 30. Shoulder and Axilla: Muscles of the Scapula
Which arteries supply blood to the serratus anterior muscle?
The lateral thoracic arteries supply blood to the serratus anterior muscle, and the long thoracic nerve arising from cervical vertebrae C-5 through C-6 in the neck provides its nervous system connection.
How many sections does the serratus anterior muscle have?
The serratus anterior muscle is divided into three different sections, which include:
What muscle is used in boxing?
The serratus anterior muscle is one that is very important for boxers or anyone who has ever been in a fight. Learn how and why, as well as other great facts about the serratus anterior muscle, by reading this lesson.
Where is the serratus anterior located?
The serratus anterior is a muscle that is located on each of your sides, right on top of the ribs. If you feel the area of your side that is a couple inches below your arm pit, that is roughly the location of this muscle. In muscular and lean people, the serratus anterior muscles are often visible, appearing almost like a series of piano keys on the sides.
Which muscle moves the scapula upward?
The serratus anterior muscle also functions to move the scapula upward, which is necessary when you lift something over your head. If you are flexible enough, reach your left arm around and touch your right scapula. Then raise your right arm over your head. Did you feel the right scapula elevate or move upward? That movement was caused by the serratus anterior muscle.
What muscle is Ch 10.?
Ch 10. Muscles of the Upper Arm
What is Ch 6.?
Ch 6. Muscle Dysfunction in the Head, Neck &...
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Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams.
What is the action of the scapula?
The main actions are protraction and upward rotation of the scapulothoracic joint, moving the scapula forward across the thoracic wall. It also keeps the medial boarder and inferior angle of the scapula close to the thoracic wall.
What is the third test for serratus anterior muscle weakness?
In the third test the patient is in a seated or supine position, with his arm flexed 90-100 degrees and his elbow fully extended. The therapist resists the maximally protracting force by the patient. In case of serratus anterior muscle weakness the patient’s scapula is pushed into a retracted and internally rotated position leading to scapular winging appearance.
What is the weakness of the serratus anterior?
Weakness of the serratus anterior leads to altered line of pull of the rotator cuff muscle which could increase the risk of subacromial impingement syndrome.
Why does my scapula wing?
The most common cause of scapular winging is injury to the long thoracic nerve, leading to serratus anterior palsy. The long thoracic nerve descends across the lateral thoracic wall, making it susceptible to injury during anterolateral thorax surgeries . Other causes of isolated serratus anteiro palsy are traumas, strenrous work, athletics, anesthesia, infection and idiopathic causes. Neuropraxia of the long thoracic nerve could result from compression or stretch injuries.
What is the function of the scapular protraction?
Scapular protraction function of serratus anterior occurs simultaneously when reaching forward or pushing objects away from the body, increasing the functional length of the arm. Also in push-up plus exercise, the reverse protraction action of both serratus anterior results in lifting the trunk and ribs upwards.
What is chest pain?
Chronic chest pain of noncardiac origin is a heterogeneous disorder, and myofascial pain syndrome is often an overlooked cause that can affect a single muscle or several functional muscle units; it is characterized by taut bands, commonly described as trigger points . The syndrome includes a constellation of symptoms one of which is pain overlying the fifth to seventh ribs in the midaxillary line. Referred pain may radiate toward the anterior chest wall, the medial aspect of the arm, and finally, toward the ring and little finger on the ipsilateral side . The pain of SAMPS can be intermittent or constant. The serratus mainly contributes to :
What is a wall push up test?
First, the Wall push up test, the patient is asked to flex his arm to 90 degrees and do a wall push up. Weak serratus anterior muscle would result in winging of the scapula medial border.
What is the protraction of the scapula?
The protraction of the scapula, which is a movement made when a boxer throws a punch, provides the serratus anterior with its common nickname. It allows a person to generate a more powerful and further reaching punch.
How to strengthen the serratus anterior?
The serratus anterior is also known as the "boxer's muscle." As such, one great way to strengthen this muscle is through cardio boxing. Another exercise which helps to strengthen the serratus anterior is push-ups.
Which muscle is used to move the shoulders forward?
The serratus anterior muscle is a large fan-shaped muscle stretching from the ribs to the scapula. This muscle lifts the ribs to aid in respiration, facilitates the lifting of the arms overhead, and helps to move the shoulders forward.
Which artery is the serratus anterior?
All three parts of the serratus anterior receive blood from the lateral thoracic artery, the superior thoracic artery, and the thoracodorsal artery.
Which nerve innervates the serratus anterior?
The serratus anterior is primarily innervated by the long thoracic nerve, a branch of the brachial plexus. The long thoracic nerve travels from the top part of the brachial plexus in the neck to deep into the serratus anterior. Because the long thoracic nerve is thin in diameter, it is prone to damage during surgery to this region of the body. However, two parts of the muscle are also innervated by a second nerve:
Which anterior inferior helps to elevate the scapula when lifting the arms over the head?
The serratus anterior inferior also helps to elevate the scapula when lifting the arms over the head.
Where is the serratus anterior located?
The serratus anterior is located on each side of body along the first through ninth ribs of the thorax. The muscle then wraps to the back of the body, where a portion of the serratus anterior lies beneath the scapula. In the pectoral, or chest, region of the human body, the serratus anterior is located under the pectoralis muscles. Because of the large size of this muscle, it is often divided into three parts: the serratus anterior superior, the serratus anterior intermediate, and the serratus anterior inferior.
What actions does the serratus anterior muscle do?
Protraction of the scapula – That means it brings the scapula forward on the rib cage.
What muscle is the strongest in boxing?
interestingly, serratus is known as the boxer’s muscle because it is the strongest protractor of the scapula. That means it sends the scapula forward around the rib cage. This anatomical movement is primarily what allows for the whole movement seen in a punch.
What does the term "serratus anterior" mean?
“Serratus” comes from the Latin serrare meaning “to saw”. The other part of this muscle’s name, anterior, refers to the muscle’s location on the front or anterior side of the body. ...
Which muscle is lengthened in Dhanurasana?
In dhanurasana the serratus anterior muscle is lengthened while the scapulae retract (get pulled back and together).
Which muscle is used to stabilize the scapula?
Having said that, this muscle is a key stabilizer of the scapula and that is how it should be used in many yoga postures. In utkatasana this muscle upwardly rotates the scapula in order to get our arms over our head. In bakasana the serratus anterior muscle contracts to keep the chest from sinking through the shoulder blades.
Why is shoulder health important in yoga?
Its overall health is critical to shoulder health for yoga practitioners as it directly relates to postures that take our body weight into our hands and the ability of our rotator cuff muscles to function properly.
Introduction
Origin
Insertion
Nerve and Blood Supply
Function
Clinical Relevance
- It originates on the top lateral surface of the eight or nine upper ribs. It then wraps posteromedially around the ribcage, passing beneath the scapula to insert on the underside of the scapula on its medial border. As the muscle extends from the ribs, it is divided by tendinous septa into nine finger-like groupings of muscle fibers called “digitations.” 1. The fibers run obliquely (to varying d…
Assessment
- It inserts on the front border of the scapula.The muscle is divided into three parts : 1. Upper / Superior : 1st to 2nd rib → superior angle of scapula. 2. Middle / Intermedius : 2nd to 3rd rib → medial border of scapula. 3. Lower / Inferior : 4th to 9th rib → medial border and inferior angle of scapula. It is the most powerful and prominent part. Image 3: Insertional area of SA on scapula.
Exercises For Activating Serratus Anterior
- The long thoracic nerve, which arises from C5 to C7 nerve roots of the brachial plexus.
- Lateral thoracic artery, the superior thoracic artery and the thoracodorsal artery.