Muscles / Shoulders
Supraspinatus
- Shoulders
- Shoulder & scapula
- Intermediate layer
Anatomy
- Origin
- Supraspinous fossa of the scapula
- Insertion
- Superior facet of the greater tubercle of the humerus
- Nerve
- Suprascapular nerve (C5-C6 (C4))
Actions
- Initiates and assists abduction of the arm
- Compresses and stabilises the humeral head in the glenoid (rotator cuff)
Exercises that train it most
Also trained by
Notes
- Most commonly torn rotator cuff tendon; tendon passes under the coraco-acromial arch.
- Full-can (thumb-up scaption) activates supraspinatus as well as the empty can but with less deltoid activity.
References (5)
- Reinold MM, Macrina LC, Wilk KE, et al. J Athl Train. 2007;42(4):464-469. Electromyographic analysis of the supraspinatus and deltoid muscles during 3 common rehabilitation exercises
- Standring S, ed. Elsevier. Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice. 42nd ed.
- Dalley AF, Agur AMR. Wolters Kluwer. Moore's Clinically Oriented Anatomy. 9th ed.
- Neumann DA. Elsevier. Kinesiology of the Musculoskeletal System: Foundations for Rehabilitation. 3rd ed.
- Betts JG, Young KA, Wise JA, et al. OpenStax (free, openly licensed textbook). Anatomy and Physiology 2e