Supraspinatus muscle

The supraspinatus (Latin for " supraspinatus ") is a skeletal muscle and runs almost horizontally above the shoulder. He is below the trapezius muscle. Together with the teres minor, infraspinatus and subscapularis muscle it forms in humans, the rotator cuff, which keeps the head of the humerus in the glenoid fossa.

Function

The supraspinatus assists the deltoid muscle during abduction of the arm from the body ( abduction). Furthermore, it is a lateral rotator and biases the capsule of the shoulder.

Clinic

The tendon of the supraspinatus tear from age 50 often spontaneously due to degenerative changes ( rotator cuff tear ). Also occurs frequently frozen shoulder ( " frozen shoulder " ) by pinching (impingement ) of the ( already damaged ) supraspinatus tendon between the head of the humerus and the acromion one.