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The teres major muscle is a thick, somewhat flattened intrinsic muscle of the shoulder region. It is one of seven scapulohumeral muscles that act around the glenohumeral joint to facilitate shoulder movement. The teres major muscle originates on the dorsal surface of the inferior angle of the scapula and inserts on the medial lip of the intertubercular groove of the humerus. Its main function is to produce movements of the humerus at the glenohumeral joint.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | A thick but somewhat flattened muscle of the shoulder joint |
| Location | Above the latissimus dorsi muscle |
| Function | Produces movements of the arm on the shoulder joint |
| Innervation | Lower subscapular nerve (C5-C7), a branch of the brachial plexus |
| Vascularization | Thoracodorsal branch of the subscapular artery and the posterior circumflex humeral artery |
| Attachments | Originates from the posterior surface of the inferior angle of the scapula and attaches to the medial lip of the intertubercular groove of the humerus |
| Prone to | Development of trigger points, which can cause myofascial pain syndrome |
| Injury prevention | Proper warm-up and stretching before physical activities |
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What You'll Learn
The teres major muscle is one of the seven scapulohumeral muscles
The teres major muscle is a muscle of the upper limb. It is one of the seven scapulohumeral muscles that act around the glenohumeral joint to facilitate shoulder movement. The teres major is a thick muscle of the shoulder joint. It is sometimes called "lat's little helper" because of its synergistic action with the latissimus dorsi. The teres major muscle originates from the posterior surface of the inferior angle of the scapula and the lower part of the lateral border of the scapula. It attaches to the medial lip of the intertubercular groove of the humerus.
The teres major is an intrinsic muscle of the shoulder region. It forms the inferior border of the quadrangular space, through which the axillary nerve and posterior circumflex humeral artery pass to reach the posterior scapular region. The muscle fibres course spirally (torsion), running parallel to the fibres of the latissimus dorsi muscle. They converge onto a single tendon that inserts into the intertubercular sulcus (medial lip) of the humerus. The tendon, at its insertion, lies behind that of the latissimus dorsi, from which it is separated by a bursa. The adjoining fibres of these two muscles may be fused in some individuals.
The main function of the teres major is to produce movements of the humerus at the glenohumeral joint. It pulls the anterior surface of the humerus medially towards the trunk (internal rotation). It also assists in the extension and medial rotation of the humerus. Along with the pectoralis major and latissimus dorsi muscles, the teres major can pull the trunk superiorly (through adduction) when its humeral attachment is fixed. This is why it is also referred to as the climbing muscle.
The teres major is relatively prone to the development of trigger points, which are local, permanent hypertensive areas with rigidification (myofascial pain syndrome). Common causes include poor stretching before physical activities, trauma (e.g. falling on the shoulder), and microtraumas through chronic inappropriate straining. Symptoms include local pain, which may radiate to the lateral shoulder during palpation and difficulties in abducting and elevating the arm. Teres major injuries resulting from workouts are usually cured with a proper warm-up and stretching before exercising.
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It is a thick muscle of the shoulder joint
The teres major muscle is a thick muscle of the shoulder joint. It is one of the seven scapulohumeral muscles that act around the glenohumeral joint to facilitate shoulder movement. The muscle originates from the posterior surface of the inferior angle of the scapula and inserts on the medial lip of the intertubercular groove of the humerus. It is related to the latissimus dorsi muscle, which wraps around its lower border. The tendon of the teres major lies posterior to the tendon of the latissimus dorsi, with a bursa between them.
The teres major muscle is supplied by the lower subscapular nerve (C5-C7), a branch of the brachial plexus. It is also vascularized by the thoracodorsal branch of the subscapular artery and the posterior circumflex humeral artery. The muscle fibres course spirally (torsion), running parallel to the fibres of the latissimus dorsi muscle. They converge onto a single tendon that inserts into the intertubercular sulcus (medial lip) of the humerus.
The main function of the teres major muscle is to produce movements of the arm on the shoulder joint. It can extend the arm from a flexed position and provides support in the adduction of the shoulder. The teres major also assists in the medial rotation of the humerus. By contracting, it pulls the humerus posteriorly (extension) and rotates it medially towards the trunk (internal rotation). Additionally, it helps to stabilise the shoulder joint and the humeral head in the glenoid cavity.
The teres major muscle is sometimes referred to as "lat's little helper" because of its synergistic action with the latissimus dorsi. It is relatively prone to the development of trigger points, which can cause local pain and difficulties in abducting and elevating the arm. Teres major injuries are usually cured with a proper warm-up and stretching before physical activities.
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The muscle is prone to the development of trigger points
The teres major is a thick muscle of the shoulder joint that is responsible for producing movements of the arm on the shoulder joint. It is one of the seven scapulohumeral muscles and is positioned above the latissimus dorsi muscle. The teres major muscle is prone to the development of trigger points, which are local, permanent hypertensive areas with rigidification (myofascial pain syndrome).
Trigger points in the teres major muscle are typically associated with frozen shoulder syndrome, pain on reaching above the head, pain when driving, and common impingement syndromes. They can also form due to sports-related injuries, forceful overhead lifting, post-shoulder fracture or dislocation, sudden unexpected loading of the shoulder (trauma), and prolonged immobility (e.g. wearing a sling).
Athletes such as gymnasts, rock climbers, baseball players, and rowers are particularly susceptible to developing trigger points in the teres major muscle. This is due to the nature of their sports, which often involve forceful overhead lifting, sudden loading of the shoulder, and repetitive motions that can strain the muscle.
Common symptoms of trigger points in the teres major include local pain, which may radiate to the lateral shoulder during palpation, and difficulties in abducting and elevating the arm. Additionally, trigger points in the teres major muscle can refer pain to other areas, such as the posterior deltoid region, the long head of the triceps brachii, and the front and side of the shoulder.
To treat trigger points in the teres major muscle, stretching and self-massage techniques can be employed. It is important to warm up properly before physical activity and to avoid overdoing certain movements, such as forceful adduction of the arm, to prevent the development of trigger points in this muscle.
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Teres major forms the axillary space with the teres minor muscle
The teres major is a thick muscle of the shoulder joint. It is one of the seven scapulohumeral muscles that act around the glenohumeral joint to facilitate shoulder movement. The teres major muscle originates from the dorsal surface of the inferior angle of the scapula and inserts on the medial lip of the intertubercular groove of the humerus. It is related to the latissimus dorsi muscle, which wraps around its lower border. The tendon of the teres major lies posterior to the tendon of the latissimus dorsi, with a bursa between them.
The teres major is supplied by the lower subscapular nerve (C5-C7), a branch of the brachial plexus. It is also vascularized by the thoracodorsal branch of the subscapular artery and the posterior circumflex humeral artery. The main function of the teres major is to produce movements of the humerus at the glenohumeral joint. It pulls the anterior surface of the humerus medially towards the trunk (internal rotation) and assists in the extension and medial rotation of the humerus.
The teres major muscle is often confused as a rotator cuff muscle. However, it does not attach to the capsule of the shoulder joint, unlike the teres minor muscle. The teres minor muscle covers the posterior aspect of the scapular portion of the teres major muscle. Together, these two muscles form the axillary space, also known as the posterior axillary fold. This space is crucial for the passage of several important arteries and veins, including the axillary nerve and the posterior circumflex humeral artery, which provide essential blood supply to the region.
The teres major and teres minor muscles sometimes blend together, with their muscle bellies or insertion tendons merging. This fusion highlights the close relationship between these muscles and their synergistic roles in shoulder movement and stability. The teres major muscle is susceptible to the development of trigger points, which can result from inadequate stretching before physical activities or trauma to the shoulder. Isolated teres major injuries are rare but are more commonly seen in professional and high-level recreational athletes, particularly baseball pitchers.
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It is also referred to as the climbing muscle
The teres major muscle is a muscle of the upper limb. It is a thick but somewhat flattened muscle of the shoulder joint. The teres major is one of the seven scapulohumeral muscles that act around the glenohumeral joint to facilitate shoulder movement. It attaches to the scapula and the humerus. The muscle fibres course spirally (torsion), running parallel to the fibres of the latissimus dorsi muscle.
The teres major muscle is also referred to as the climbing muscle. This is because, along with the pectoralis major and latissimus dorsi muscles, the teres major can pull the trunk superiorly (through adduction) when its humeral attachment is fixed. The main function of the muscle is to produce movements of the arm on the shoulder joint. By contracting, it pulls the humerus posteriorly (extension) and rotates it medially towards the trunk (internal rotation). Furthermore, it can extend the arm from the flexed position and provides a supportive role in the adduction of the shoulder.
The teres major muscle originates from the posterior surface of the inferior angle of the scapula, as well as from the lower part of the lateral border of the scapula. The fibres of teres major insert into the medial lip of the intertubercular sulcus of the humerus. The tendon, at its insertion, lies behind that of the latissimus dorsi, from which it is separated by a bursa. The adjoining fibres of these two muscles may be fused in some individuals.
The teres major is relatively prone to the development of trigger points, which are local, permanent hypertensive areas with rigidification (myofascial pain syndrome). Common causes are poor stretching before physical activities, trauma (e.g. falling on the shoulder), and microtraumas through chronic inappropriate straining. Teres Major Strain often occurs when a proper warm-up is not done before workouts.
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Frequently asked questions
The teres major is a thick muscle of the shoulder joint. It is one of the seven scapulohumeral muscles that act around the glenohumeral joint to facilitate shoulder movement.
The teres major muscle originates from the posterior surface of the inferior angle of the scapula and attaches to the medial lip of the intertubercular groove of the humerus.
The main function of the teres major muscle is to produce movements of the arm on the shoulder joint. It helps in the extension, adduction, and medial rotation of the upper limb at the shoulder.
The teres major muscle is relatively prone to the development of trigger points, which can cause local pain and difficulties in abducting and elevating the arm. Teres Major Strain often occurs when a proper warm-up is not done before workouts.
To prevent injuries, it is important to include a proper warm-up before workouts, which helps loosen the muscles and tissues and makes them more flexible. Strengthening exercises that focus on shoulder stability, such as seated rows with resistance bands or lat pulldowns, can also help.
