No image yet
| Latin | Musculus subscapularis |
|---|---|
| Origin |
|
| Insertion |
|
| Action |
|
| Nerve | Upper and lower subscapular nerves (C5–C6) |
| Name | Latin sub, 'under', and scapula, 'shoulder blade' — it lies on the underside (front) of the scapula. |
Palpation
- Client supine; abduct the arm to about 45–90° and support it, or have the client side-lying.
- Place your fingers in the armpit (axilla) along the back wall, with the finger pads facing backwards onto the front surface of the scapula.
- Sink in slowly and gently, working medially towards the lateral border of the scapula; the muscle feels dense and is often tender.
- Ask the client to rotate the arm inwards against light resistance to feel the muscle tighten.
Subscapularis is the second “S” in SITS, the four rotator cuff muscles (Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, Teres minor and subscapularis). It is the largest and strongest of the four and the only one on the front of the scapula, so it balances the pull of the three cuff muscles behind.
It is hard to reach because it lies between the scapula and the ribs. You can only touch its lateral edge through the armpit, which holds nerves, blood vessels and lymph nodes, so use slow, gentle pressure with flat finger pads and stop if the client feels tingling. Its neighbours at the back of the armpit are Latissimus dorsi and Teres major; Serratus anterior lies against it on the rib side.