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Inferior angle of scapula

The lowest point of the shoulder blade, where its medial and lateral borders meet.

BoneScapula
RegionBack

Find it

  1. Client prone with the arms resting by the sides.
  2. Follow the medial border of the scapula down until it curves round into a point: that is the inferior angle.
  3. Hold the angle lightly between your thumb and fingers to feel how thick and rough it is compared with the border above.
  4. Confirm with the client seated: as they slowly raise the arm out to the side, the inferior angle glides forward and outward around the chest wall.

Teres major arises from the back of the inferior angle, and latissimus dorsi glides over it and often takes a few fibres from it. Serratus anterior attaches to the front of the angle, and the lowest fibres of rhomboid major reach it along the medial border.

Because the angle moves forward when the arm is raised, it is a good landmark for watching scapular movement during a postural check.

Muscles attaching or palpated here

  • Infraspinatus — Thick, flat rotator cuff muscle below the spine of the scapula that laterally rotates the arm and steadies the shoulder joint.
  • Latissimus dorsi — Broad, flat, fan-shaped muscle of the lower and middle back that extends, adducts and medially rotates the arm.
  • Rhomboid major — Diamond-shaped muscle between the spine and the shoulder blade that pulls the scapula towards the spine and holds it against the ribs.
  • Serratus anterior — Saw-toothed muscle on the side of the ribcage that pulls the scapula forwards around the chest and helps rotate it upwards.
  • Subscapularis — Large, triangular rotator cuff muscle on the front of the scapula that medially rotates the arm and guards the front of the shoulder joint.
  • Teres major — Thick, rounded muscle from the inferior angle of the scapula to the front of the humerus that pulls the arm down, back and inwards.
  • Teres minor — Narrow rotator cuff muscle along the lateral border of the scapula that laterally rotates the arm and stops the humerus riding upwards.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia: Scapula
  2. Gray's Anatomy (1918), The Scapula (Bartleby, archived)