Dominic Stone
The scapula, or shoulder blade, is a bone that makes up the posterior shoulder girdle and allows for a wide range of shoulder movements. There are 17 muscles attached to the scapula, including the levator scapulae, rhomboid major, rhomboid minor, serratus anterior, and pectoralis minor, which facilitate scapular motion and provide stability. These muscles are crucial for maintaining optimal posture and shoulder alignment, and their strength is essential for scapular stability. The scapula is also well-protected by the rib cage and thoracic cavity, making fractures uncommon. However, when they do occur, they are often associated with severe injuries.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Description | The scapula is your shoulder blade, one of the three bones in your shoulder joint. |
| Function | The scapula lets you move and use your shoulder. It supports and moves your shoulders and holds lots of muscles and other tissue in place. |
| Muscles | The scapula has 17 muscles attached to it, including the levator scapulae, rhomboid major, rhomboid minor, serratus anterior, pectoralis minor, infraspinatus, supraspinatus, teres major, and teres minor. |
| Blood Supply | Suprascapular artery, posterior circumflex humeral artery, circumflex scapular artery, transverse cervical artery |
| Innervation | The scapula is innervated by the dorsal scapular nerve, long thoracic nerve, and branches of C3-C5. |
| Joint | The scapula articulates with the posterior chest wall and is connected to the upper limb by the acromioclavicular joint. |
| Movement | The scapula can move in six directions: protraction, retraction, elevation, depression, anterior/posterior tilt, and internal/external and upward/downward rotation. |
| Fractures | Scapular fractures are uncommon due to its sturdy structure and protected location. They usually occur as a result of high-impact direct trauma and are often associated with other severe injuries. |
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What You'll Learn
- The scapula is the shoulder blade, one of three shoulder joint bones
- The shoulder blade supports and moves the shoulder and holds muscles and tissue in place
- The scapula is connected to 17 muscles, 12 tendons, six ligaments and two nerves
- The shoulder blade is part of the axial skeleton
- The scapula is well-protected, so fractures are uncommon
The scapula is the shoulder blade, one of three shoulder joint bones
The scapula is the shoulder blade, one of three bones that make up the shoulder joint. The other two bones are the clavicle (collarbone) and the humerus (upper arm bone). The scapula forms part of the shoulder's socket and allows movement and use of the shoulder. The shoulder joint is a ball-and-socket joint, with the head of the humerus forming the ball and the scapula forming the socket.
The scapula is well-protected by the rib cage and thoracic cavity anteriorly and is also covered with a lot of soft tissue, including muscle. This means that scapular fractures are uncommon, occurring in only 0.5 to 1% of all fractures. However, when they do occur, they are usually the result of high-impact direct trauma and are associated with other severe and sometimes life-threatening injuries.
The scapula has a flat, triangular shape and lies on the upper back between the levels of the second and eighth ribs. It has three surfaces: the costal (anterior) surface, the lateral surface, and the posterior (inferior) surface. The scapula is surrounded and supported by a complex system of muscles, tendons, and ligaments that work together to facilitate movement of the shoulder and arm. There are 17 muscles, 12 tendons, six ligaments, and two nerves connected to the scapula, allowing the shoulder to move in six directions—more than any other joint in the body.
The muscles attached to the scapula include the pectoralis minor, rhomboids (major and minor), serratus anterior, trapezius, and levator scapulae. These muscles are crucial for maintaining optimal posture and shoulder alignment, as well as facilitating scapular motion. For example, during a shoulder press exercise, the upper trapezius, lower trapezius, and serratus anterior work together to achieve upward rotation when the shoulder abducts. The serratus anterior is the primary muscle for scapular protraction, playing a key role in stabilising and moving the scapula during exercises like the bench press. The scapula also serves as a site for the attachment of multiple muscles, including the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis, and teres minor, which form a musculotendinous cuff around the glenohumeral joint and provide muscular support to the joint.
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The shoulder blade supports and moves the shoulder and holds muscles and tissue in place
The scapula, or shoulder blade, is one of three bones in the shoulder joint. It is a strong, firm bone that connects the humerus to the clavicle, joining the arm to the trunk. The shoulder blade is part of the axial skeleton, the bones in the centre of the body. It is well-protected by the rib cage and thoracic cavity, and covered in soft tissue, so fractures are rare.
The scapula is essential for supporting and moving the shoulder. It is connected to 17 muscles, 12 tendons, six ligaments, and two nerves, which allow the shoulder to move in six directions—more than any other joint in the body. The shoulder blade also holds muscles and other tissue in place. The large surface area of the scapula means a large number of muscles are attached (17 in total), which fix the scapula to the thoracic wall and allow it to move. The main stabilisers are the serratus anterior, rhomboid major, and minor.
The scapula performs six actions: protraction, retraction, elevation, depression, anterior/posterior tilt, and internal/external and upward/downward rotation. The scapulothoracic joint movement is dependent on the acromioclavicular and sternoclavicular joints. The scapulohumeral rhythm is a combination of motions of the scapula, clavicle, and humerus to achieve full elevation of the arm, with a 2:1 ratio. This means for every two degrees of movement at the humerus, the scapula moves one degree.
The shoulder blade is also important for protecting the chest. Although it does not directly protect any organs, it is a strong, firm bone that absorbs contact.
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The scapula is connected to 17 muscles, 12 tendons, six ligaments and two nerves
The scapula, or shoulder blade, is a flat, triangular bone located at the back of the trunk, sitting over the posterior surface of ribs two to seven. The scapula is one of three bones that make up the shoulder joint, connecting the upper limb of the appendicular skeleton to the axial skeleton. It forms part of the shoulder's socket, allowing movement and use of the shoulder.
The scapula is well-protected by the rib cage and thoracic cavity anteriorly, and covered in soft tissue posteriorly. This means that scapular fractures are uncommon, usually occurring as a result of high-impact trauma.
The scapula is connected to 17 muscles, which fix the scapula to the thoracic wall and allow it to move. These include the levator scapulae, rhomboid major, rhomboid minor, serratus anterior, pectoralis minor, and trapezius muscles. The serratus anterior is the primary muscle for scapular protraction, playing a key role in stabilising and moving the scapula. The stability of the scapula is dependent on the surrounding musculature, with several muscles attaching directly to the scapula.
The scapula is also connected to 12 tendons, six ligaments, and two nerves. The coracoid process, a small, hooked bump under the clavicle, anchors three muscles. The glenoid cavity, or fossa, is an indention that makes up the back of the shoulder socket, with the biceps muscle attaching to the superglenoid tubercle and the triceps muscle attaching to the infraglenoid tubercle. The scapula's lateral surface is its outside edge, pointing toward the humerus. The posterior, or inferior, surface of the scapula is the rear part that faces the back, including the spine and acromion. The acromion moves with the clavicle when the shoulder is moved. The scapula articulates with the posterior chest wall and is connected to the upper limb by the acromioclavicular joint.
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The shoulder blade is part of the axial skeleton
The scapula, or shoulder blade, is a flat, triangular-shaped bone located on either side of the upper back. It is one of three bones that make up the shoulder joint, connecting the upper arm bone (humerus) to the collar bone (clavicle). The scapula forms the back part of the socket that the humerus fits into, allowing for shoulder movement.
The shoulder blade is indeed part of the axial skeleton, which comprises the 80 bones within the
The scapula has three surfaces: the costal (anterior), lateral, and posterior (inferior) surfaces. The anterior surface of the scapula faces the thoracic cage or rib cage, with a concave depression called the subscapular fossa, from which the rotator cuff muscle subscapularis originates. This region features longitudinal ridges, one of which connects to the lateral border. This part of the scapula acts as a lever for the serratus anterior muscle, aiding in moving the arm away from the body.
The scapula's lateral surface is its outside edge, pointing toward the humerus. It includes the glenoid fossa, a shallow cavity that articulates with the rounded head of the humerus to form the glenohumeral (shoulder) joint. The posterior surface of the scapula includes the spine, a triangular plate of bone that runs transversely and divides the dorsal surface into the supraspinous and infraspinous fossae. These fossae are connected by the spinoglenoid notch, which is bridged by the spinoglenoid ligament.
The scapula is connected to 17 muscles, 12 tendons, six ligaments, and two nerves, enabling the shoulder to move in six directions, making it the most mobile joint in the body. These muscles include the levator scapulae, rhomboid major, rhomboid minor, serratus anterior, pectoralis minor, and the four rotator cuff muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis, and teres minor).
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The scapula is well-protected, so fractures are uncommon
The scapula, or shoulder blade, is a flat, triangular bone located at the back of the trunk, behind the clavicle near the back. It is one of three bones that make up the shoulder joint, and it forms part of the shoulder's socket. The scapula is connected to more than a dozen muscles, tendons, and ligaments, including the pectoralis minor, rhomboids, serratus anterior, trapezius, and levator scapulae. These muscles are crucial for maintaining optimal posture and ensuring the alignment and stability of the spine.
The scapula is well-protected by the rib cage and thoracic cavity anteriorly and is covered with a lot of soft tissue, including muscle, posteriorly. This protection means that fractures are uncommon, representing only 0.5 to 1% of all fractures. When scapular fractures do occur, they are usually the result of high-impact direct trauma and are often associated with other severe, life-threatening injuries.
The scapula has three surfaces: the costal (anterior), lateral, and posterior (inferior). The medial aspect of the scapula is not directly attached to the axial skeleton but is held in place and connected to the thorax and vertebral column by muscles. This allows the scapula to move freely across the posterior thoracic wall (scapulothoracic joint). The scapulothoracic joint movement is dependent on the acromioclavicular and sternoclavicular joints.
The scapula has two major bursae: the scapulothoracic (or infraserratus) and the subscapularis bursae. These bursae help cushion the tissue and decrease friction. Snapping scapula syndrome occurs when there is an abnormality at the scapulothoracic joint, causing non-smooth articulation. This syndrome is often caused by lesions or inflammation of the bursae (scapulothoracic bursitis).
The stability of the scapula depends on the surrounding musculature, and several muscles attach directly to it. The levator scapulae, for example, attaches at the superior angle of the scapula, while the teres major attaches at the inferior angle. The rhomboids major and minor attach to the medial border of the scapula, and the serratus anterior attaches to the medial margin. These muscles play a crucial role in scapular elevation, retraction, protraction, and rotation.
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Frequently asked questions
Axial scapular muscles are the muscles attached to the scapula (shoulder blade) and the spine or rib cage.
Axial scapular muscles are essential for maintaining optimal posture and preventing scapular dyskinesis. They also ensure the alignment and stability of the cervical and thoracic spine.
There are 17 muscles attached to the scapula.
Examples of axial scapular muscles include the pectoralis minor, rhomboids, serratus anterior, trapezius, and levator scapulae.
Axial scapular muscles facilitate scapular motion and play a crucial role in stabilizing and moving the scapula during exercises such as the bench press. They enable the scapula to move in six directions, providing full-functional upper extremity movement.
