Teres major muscle

Teres major muscle
Posterior view showing the relations between teres major muscle (in red) and the other muscles connecting the upper extremity to the vertebral column.
Teres major muscle (in red) seen from back.
Details
Origin	Posterior aspect of the inferior angle of the scapula
Insertion	Medial lip of the intertubercular sulcus of the humerus
Artery	Subscapular and circumflex scapular arteries
Nerve	Lower subscapular nerve (segmental levels C5 and C6)
Actions	adduct the humerus, Internal rotation (medial rotation) of the humerus, extend the humerus from flexed position, Protracts scapula, Depress shoulder
Identifiers
Latin	Musculus teres major
Dorlands /Elsevier	m_22/12551115
TA	A04.6.02.011
FMA	32549
Anatomical terms of muscle [edit on Wikidata]

The teres major muscle (Latin teres meaning 'rounded') is a muscle of the upper limb and one of seven scapulohumeral muscles. It is a thick but somewhat flattened muscle, innervated by the lower subscapular nerve (C5 and C6).

Structure

It arises from the oval area on the dorsal surface of the inferior angle of the scapula, and from the fibrous septa interposed between this muscle and the rotator cuff lateral rotator pair of the teres minor and infraspinatus.

The fibers of teres major insert into the medial lip of the intertubercular sulcus of the humerus.

Relations

The tendon, at its insertion, lies behind that of the latissimus dorsi, from which it is separated by a bursa, the two tendons being, however, united along their lower borders for a short distance.

Together with teres minor muscle, teres major muscle forms the axillary space, through which several important arteries and veins pass.

The teres major muscle is innervated by the lower subscapular nerve of the brachial plexus.

Function

The teres major is a medial rotator and adductor of the humerus and assists the latissimus dorsi in drawing the previously raised humerus downward and backward (extension, but not hyper extension). It also helps stabilize the humeral head in the glenoid cavity.

Additional images

• 

  Position of teres major muscle (shown in red). Animation.

• 

  Muscles on the dorsum of the scapula, and the Triceps brachii muscle:
  #3 latissimus dorsi muscle
  #5 teres major muscle
  #6 teres minor muscle
  #7 supraspinatus muscle
  #8 infraspinatus muscle
  #13 long head of triceps brachii muscle

• 

  Surface anatomy of the back. (Label for Teres major at upper right.)

• 

  Left humerus. Anterior view.

• 

  Teres major muscle

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  Left scapula. Posterior surface.

• 

  Teres major muscle

See also

• Accessory muscles of the scapula

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

External links

• 711655502 at GPnotebook
• Anatomy figure: 03:03-06 at Human Anatomy Online, SUNY Downstate Medical Center
• PTCentral