Anatomy study note · Upper limb

Supraspinatus

A rotator cuff muscle in the supraspinous fossa. It starts abduction and holds the head of the humerus in the glenoid cavity.

Key points

• Supraspinous fossa → greater tuberosity (top).
• Suprascapular nerve.
• Starts abduction (0–15°); rotator cuff (S of SITS).
• Most commonly injured cuff muscle; painful arc in mid-abduction.
• Limb muscles: in situ from limb-bud mesenchyme.
• Upper limb bud C4–T2; lower limb bud L2–S2.
• Skeletal muscle: multinucleated, peripheral nuclei, striated.
• Epimysium → perimysium → endomysium.

The full note in the atlas also covers

Origin · Insertion · Action · Nerve supply · Histology · Development · Clinical notes

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Written from

• Snell’s Clinical Anatomy by Regions, 10th ed., ch. 3, PDF pp. 303–306
• Inderbir Singh’s Human Embryology, ch. 7, PDF p. 109; ch. 10, PDF pp. 142–145
• BRS Cell Biology & Histology, 7th ed., ch. 8, PDF pp. 135–144

More from the upper limb

• Supratrochlear (cubital) lymph node
• Teres major
• Teres minor
• Thenar muscles
• Thoracodorsal nerve
• Trapezius
• Triceps brachii
• Ulna
• Ulnar artery
• Ulnar nerve
• Veins of the hand
• Wrist joint

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