
What is the scapula superior to?
The scapula, along with the clavicle and the manubrium of the sternum, make up the pectoral (shoulder) girdle which connects the upper limb of the appendicular skeleton to the axial skeleton....Scapula.BordersSuperior, lateral and medialProcessesCoracoid, acromion6 more rows
What is the superior angle of the scapula?
The superior angle of the scapula, located on the upper part of the scapula, flat to the second rib, is the attachment point of the levator scapula muscle and an important clinical landmark [6].
What is the top of the scapula called?
acromionThe shoulder is made up of three bones: the scapula (shoulder blade), clavicle (collarbone) and humerus (upper arm bone). Two joints in the shoulder allow it to move: the acromioclavicular joint, where the highest point of the scapula (acromion) meets the clavicle, and the glenohumeral joint.
What is superior rotation of the scapula?
The scapula upwardly rotates when you reach your arm up overhead. During this motion, the inferior angle of the scapula (see photo above) rotates up (superiorly) and to the side (laterally). At the top of your overhead motion, your scapula should be upwardly rotated about 55 degrees.
What is the structure of the scapula?
scapula, also called shoulder blade, either of two large bones of the shoulder girdle in vertebrates. In humans they are triangular and lie on the upper back between the levels of the second and eighth ribs.
What are the 3 angles of the scapula?
The scapula has three angles (superior/medial, lateral, inferior), three borders (medial, lateral/axillary, and superior), and two surfaces (ventral and dorsal).
What structure divides the scapula between superior and inferior portions?
The scapula is described as having superior, medial, and lateral borders. Posteriorly, the scapula is divided into a supraspinous fossa and infraspinous fossa by the scapular spine. Anteriorly, on the costal surface, is the shallow subscapular fossa.
Which feature lies between the spine and superior border of the scapula?
The scapula has three depressions, each of which is called a fossa (plural = fossae). Two of these are found on the posterior scapula, above and below the scapular spine. Superior to the spine is the narrow supraspinous fossa, and inferior to the spine is the broad infraspinous fossa.
Is the acromion part of the scapula?
The acromioclavicular joint is where the acromion, part of the shoulder blade (scapula) and the collar bone (clavicle) meet.
Where is your subscapularis?
shoulderSubscapularis is a triangular shoulder muscle located in the subscapular fossa of scapula. Attaching between the scapula and the proximal humerus, it is one of the four muscles of the rotator cuff, along with supraspinatus, infraspinatus and teres minor.
How do you palpate superior angle of scapula?
FIGURE 5-8 Superior angle of the scapula: Once the medial border of the scapula has been located, palpate along it superiorly until you reach the superior angle of the scapula. Having the client elevate and depress the scapula as you palpate for its superior angle can be helpful.
What muscle sits on top of the scapula?
Supraspinatus: This muscle stretches from the top of the scapula to the top of the humerus, at the ball of your shoulder joint.
How does the trapezius rotate the scapula?
The function of the trapezius is to stabilize and move the scapula. The upper fibers can elevate and upwardly rotate the scapula and extend the neck. The middle fibers adduct (retract) the scapula. The lower fibers depress and aid the upper fibers in upwardly rotating the scapula.
Is the left clavicle superior to the right scapula?
The clavicles, in general, are superior to the scapulae, although this is not the clearest set of directions.
Which part of the scapula is sometimes called the head of the scapula?
The lateral angle of the scapula or glenoid angle also known as the head of the scapula is the thickest part of the scapula. It is broad and bears the glenoid fossa on its articular surface which is directed forward, laterally and slightly upwards, and articulates with the head of the humerus.
How do you remember parts of the scapula?
1:044:26How to Remember the "Boney Bits" of the Scapula - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipFantastic and then the one at the top here is called your superior. Border which makes sense becauseMoreFantastic and then the one at the top here is called your superior. Border which makes sense because superior. Think on top of or the best of its superior to it sits on the very top of the scapula.
Where is the inferior angle of the scapula located?
The inferior angle of the scapula is where the vertebral (medial) and axillary (lateral) borders intersect.
What vertebral level is the inferior angle of the scapula?
One such landmark is the inferior angle of the scapula (IAS), which is said to correlate with the T7, T8, or T9 spinous process or spinal level, depending on the source. Gray's Anatomy indicates that the IAS corresponds to the level of the ninth rib, which attaches to the spine at the T8–9 interspace.
What is superior border?
Description. Of the three borders of the scapula, the superior border is the shortest and thinnest; it is concave, and extends from the medial angle to the base of the coracoid process. At its lateral part is a deep, semicircular notch, the scapular notch, formed partly by the base of the coracoid process.
Where is the lateral angle?
the scapulaThe lateral angle is the thickest part of the bone, and is sometimes called the head of the scapula.
What is the body of the scapula?
The body of the scapula consists of a triangular-shaped flat blade, with an apex pointed below. Since it is triangular, it bears three borders.
How many muscles are attached to the scapula?
As the scapula has a large surface area, a large number of muscles get attached to it. The 17 muscles attached here, fix the scapula to the thoracic wall and allow it to move. Four muscles, namely subscapularis, infraspinatus, teres minor, and supraspinatus, form the rotator cuff, covering the shoulder capsule.
What joint is between the glenoid fossa and the rounded head of the humerus?
Glenohumeral joint: This is a ball and socket joint formed between the glenoid fossa of the scapula and the rounded head of the humerus.
How many ways does the scapula move?
The movement of this bone is coupled with the humerus, meaning whenever you move your arm, your scapula also moves. It can move in six different ways, towards (retract) and away (protract) from the vertebral column, up and down (elevate and depress), and also rotate upwards and downwards. There are 17 muscles attached to it that help to produce these movements.
What is the infraspinous fossa?
Infraspinous fossa: It is the area below the spine of the scapula. It is convex and much larger than the preceding one. At its upper part, towards the vertebral margin, it shows a shallow concavity. In the center, it is convex, while near the lateral border, it has a deep groove running from the upper toward the lower part.
Which muscle is inserted superiorly along the spine, acromion process, and clavicle?
Trapezius muscle: Gets inserted superiorly along the spine, acromion process, and clavicle. It helps to elevate and rotate the scapula during protraction of the humerus beyond 90 degrees.
How does the scapula stabilize the shoulder capsule?
It stabilizes the shoulder capsule during excessive arm motion by rotating upwards and downwards.
Which muscle is located directly above the scapula?
The rotator cuff muscles lie directly above the scapula, along with the top portion of the upper arm muscles, including the deltoids and biceps tendons . Two important arteries, the axillary artery and the subclavian artery, run anterior to the scapula and posterior to the clavicle.
What is the scapula?
Rehabilitation. The scapula, better known as the shoulder blade, is a triangular bone that serves as a joining force between the clavicle and the humerus. This bone is located posteriorly (on the back half of the body). The scapula plays an important role in stabilizing the other bones involved in the rhythm of shoulder motion.
What is the rhythm of the scapula and humerus?
The pattern of muscle contractions and motion that occurs between the scapula and the humerus is called the scapulohumeral rhythm , which is a large focus of physical therapy for shoulder pain.
What is the role of the scapula in the shoulder?
Similar to the scapulohumeral rhythm, this relationship is vital to the stability of the shoulder joint as a whole.
Why are ligaments important to the scapula?
Ligaments are vital to aid in the maintenance of scapula stability. Injury to the ligaments surrounding the scapula can occur and result in a range of symptoms depending on the severity.
What is the purpose of upward and downward rotation of the scapula?
Upward rotation and downward rotation of the scapula assist with stabilization of the shoulder capsule during excessive arm motion. Upward rotation of the scapula occurs when the arm moves both up and outward simultaneously. This seemingly simple motion requires significant shoulder stabilization due to the intricacies of the humerus and scapula.
What is the function of the scapula?
Function. The scapula is responsible for several motions which are integral to daily movement and smooth upper extremity motion. Protraction and retraction of the scapula assist with movement of the pectoral girdle and chest muscles both forward and back, respectively.
What is the scapula divided into?
Posteriorly, the scapula is divided into a supraspinous fossa and infraspinous fossa by the scapular spine. Anteriorly, on the costal surface, is the shallow subscapular fossa.
What is the scapula?
Scapula. The scapula (plural: scapulae) is a roughly triangular shaped bone of the pectoral girdle with several articulations connecting to the humerus and clavicle .
Which artery provides blood to the upper limb?
It consists of the: suprascapular artery. dorsal scapular artery.
What should the image of the scapula demonstrate?
For the AP projection of the scapula, the image should demonstrate the acromion process and the inferior angle.
How high should the head be for an inferosuperior axial projection?
For the Inferosuperior axial projection with the patient recumbent, the head and upper torso should be elevated 3 or 4 inches.
What is a radiograph of a patient's shoulder?
Radiographs of a patients shoulder are being obtained to check dislocation. In order to determine the humerus is dislocated anteriorly or posteriorly, which of the following should be employed?
What is a Scapula?
The scapula is a bone in the body that makes up part of the shoulder and back skeleton. The word comes from the Latin word scapulae which derives from scapula, meaning "shoulder blade." To this day, "shoulder blade" is still a common term given to the scapula.
Where are the scapula bones located?
There are two scapula bones in the human body. They reside in the shoulder region and sit laterally to the spine. The scapulae are posterior to the ribcage and they extend inferiorly from the base of the neck to about halfway down the thoracic cavity. On their lateral surfaces, the scapulae meet with the arms to form the shoulder joint. The important collection of muscles around this joint is often called the rotator cuff. Thus, the scapulae provide important structural support and muscular attachment sites to both the back and shoulder.
What is the process of the scapula?
A process is a projection from a bone that serves as an articulation point for bone or an attachment point for muscles. The coracoid process is on the superior portion of the scapula and serves as an attachment for muscles. It also aids in supporting the clavicle. The coracoid fossa is one of two processes that together help form the glenoid cavity, a cavity that houses the shoulder joint. This projection of bone is attached to the body of the scapula by a thin bone of bridge called the neck. The larger surface of the anterior scapula is known as the subscapular fossa. A fossa is a groove or indentation that typically houses and serves as an attachment point for muscle. The subscapular fossa is an important site of attachment for one of four muscles that comprise the rotator cuff.
How many muscles are in the rotator cuff?
There are 17 total muscles that attach to the scapula. The four that make up the rotator cuff include subscapularis, infraspinatus, supraspinatus, and teres minor. Many other muscles also attach to the scapula that composes the chest, back, and arm muscles.
Where does the articulation of the scapula and humerus occur?
The articulation of the scapula and the humerus occurs at the glenoid cavity. This creates a ball-in-socket joint which results in the shoulder, the most flexible joint found in the human body. The clavicle articulates with the scapula at the acromion process. Together, the clavicle, scapula, and humerus form the pectoral girdle of the human body. The articulation between the clavicle and acromion process is also the only articulation between the upper limbs and the rest of the skeleton. In some species, such as dogs, the clavicle has become vestigial and there is no articulation between the front limbs and the rest of the skeleton. In these instances, the front legs are attached to the body with muscular tissue.
What is the best way to heal a fractured scapula?
However, if specific trauma (such as a car crash) occurs and a fracture develops, the scapula often heals with little medical intervention. A doctor can determine a fracture with the use of an x-ray image. Healthcare providers will typically instruct patients to apply temperature therapy (alternating hot and cold) to reduce inflammation and advise limited use with the assistance of a sling until the bone has had time to set and heal. Surgical intervention is rare and is typically warranted when other bones (such as the clavicle and humerus) are also fractured, or when fragments of bone have broken off and are potentially harmful to nearby structures.
Which muscles attach to the anterior surface of the shoulder?
Out of these four muscles, only the subscapularis attaches to the anterior surface. The remaining three muscles attach to the posterior surface. The muscles of the rotator cuff work in unison to move the shoulder joint. The scapula is also an important attachment site for many more muscles of the chest, back, and arms. There are 13 additional muscles that attach to the scapula, not including the four muscles of the rotator cuff:
What degree does the upper scapula rotate?
Upper fibers elevate the scapula and rotate it during abduction of the arm (90 to 180 degrees)
What nerves are in the scapula?
The nerves to the scapula include the dorsal scapular, upper and lower subscapular, and suprascapular nerves, which arise from the brachial plexus at the anterior ramus C5 root, the posterior cord, and the superior trunk respectively. See "Muscles" section below for more details regarding specific muscle innervations.
What are the different types of motions of the scapula?
It engages in 6 types of motion, which allow for full-functional upper extremity movement including protraction, retraction, elevation, depression, upward rotation, and downward rotation . Protraction is accomplished by the actions of the serratus anterior, pectoralis major, and pectoralis minor muscles. Retraction is accomplished by the actions of the trapezius, rhomboids, and latissimus dorsi muscles. The elevation is accomplished by the trapezius, levator scapulae, and rhomboid muscles. Depression is accomplished through the force of gravity and the actions of the latissimus dorsi, serratus anterior, pectoralis major and minor, and the trapezius muscles. Upward rotation is accomplished by the trapezius and serratus anterior muscles. Downward rotation is accomplished by the force of gravity as well as the latissimus dorsi, levator scapulae, rhomboids, and the pectoralis major and minor muscles. Through these six motions, the scapula allows full function of the shoulder joint, one of the most mobile and versatile joints in the human body. One example of the importance of scapular motion for the full range of motion of the upper extremity is that of the winged scapula (See Clinical Significance), in which paralysis of the serratus anterior or trapezius prohibits the raising of the upper extremity above the level of the shoulder.
What is the scapular blood supply?
The scapular blood supply is complex due to its position and role as a critical component of the shoulder joint and the necessity for adaptability. It is largely fed by an anastomosis between the axillary artery and subclavian artery known as the scapular anastomosis. Contributory arteries to this anastomosis are the dorsal scapular artery, the suprascapular artery, the deep scapular artery, the circumflex scapular branch of the subscapular artery, and the medial anastomoses with the intercostal arteries. The scapular anastomosis allows for collateral blood flow when lying supine and when using the shoulder in its multitude of positions.
What muscles attach to the surface of the bone?
The intrinsic muscles of the scapula attach directly to the surface of the bone. These muscles are the four members of the rotator cuff and act to stabilize the glenohumeral joint. These include:
When does the scapula develop?
The scapula begins osteogenic development via endochondral ossification in week 11 of human embryogenesis. This occurs shortly after week 10 of humerus development, during which it will form the glenohumeral joint.
Which spines are inserted?
Insertion: clavicle, acromion and the scapular spine
