Subscapularis : 1 of 4 rotator cuff muscles

SUBSCAPULARIS: the final S in the rotator cuff acronym 'SITS'

Official attachment points:  Attaches to the subscapular fossa of the scapula > crossing the shoulder joint (armpit) and inserting onto the lesser tubercle of the humerus (a teeny bony bump on the front of your shoulder)

Subscapularis can be awkward to imagine because we can show you 'from the outside' - because this muscle lives on the FRONT of your shoulder blade (the part you can't touch! - between the shoulder blades and rib cage!) 

SUBSCAPUALRIS MUSCLE ACTION:

Subscapularis is responsible for MEDIAL ROTATION of the arm at the shoudler joint. (aka internal rotation)

Subscap (nick name)  is neighbours with your chest muscles the PECTORALS (pec major and pec minor!) and these 3 muscles together are notoriously shortened and tight on most people due to our poor posture habits (due to computers/desks/sitting..)

And guess what? to stretch Subscap its practically a Pec (chest) wall stretch (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSqIY0lRAvU)

TO ISOLATE SUPBSCAPULARIS: just make sure to give your arm a nice 'external rotation' whilst doing so! (Remember to move slowly and cautiously to avoid injury!

(Here is a video showing two ways you can do external rotation at the shoulder joint.  https://vine.co/v/hYUMiOMO27B

Read Me before You STRETCH !

Teres Minor Muscle: 1 of 4 rotator cuff muscles

TODAY  we're discussing TERES MINOR: the T in the rotator cuff acronym:  "SITS" 

This lil' guy pretty much lives on the back of your arm pit, but let's be a little more accurate:

Official attachment points:  starts at the superior (upper) 2/3 of the lateral (outside) of the scapula (shoulder blade) > crosses the shoulder joint and inserts onto the INFERIOR FACET of the greater tubercle of the humerus.

Remember Supraspinatus? *You will soon see that all 3 out of 4 rotator cuff muscles’ attachment points INSERT at the same area; the greater tubercle of the humerus except just different FACETS (superior, middle,  & lesser)

 And the greater tubercle of the humerus is a bony bump on top of our shoulder.

See attached photo for more details!

So what action does this muscle do?

TERES MINOR MUSCLE ACTION:

Teres Minor helps Infraspinatus (last week) to LATERALLY ROTATE your arm at the shoulder joint! Aka "external rotation". Here is a video showing two ways you can do external rotation at the shoulder joint.  https://vine.co/v/hYUMiOMO27B

*because our shoulders are often rounded forward in poor posture - our arms internally rotate (the opposite of external rotation!) Can you see how this would cause Teres Minor (and infraspinatus!) to be WEAK and overstretched?

To STRENGTHEN simply add a weight in your hand whilst doing the action!  No need to go out and buy a handweight, any ol' can in the cupboard will do! For strengthening move slowly to avoid injury. Try 10 reps for 3 sets or until you feel you've 'exhausted the muscle' REMEMBER: PAIN = BAD - SHAKING IS OKAY!

Infraspinatus : 1 of 4 rotator cuff muscles

INFRASPINATUS: the I in the rotator cuff acronym 'SITS':

Infra’ meaning ‘below’ and just like the last muscle Supraspinatus, SPINATUS referring to the spine of the scapula (shoulder blade)

So we now know that the INFRASPINATUS muscle lives below the spine of the scapula.

Official attachment points:   

originates at the infraspinatus fossa of the scapula * (crosses the shoulder joint) and inserts onto the MIDDLE facet of the greater tubercle of humerus.  (same attachment point as SUPRASPINATUS but just a different FACET**

INFRASPINATUS Muscle Actions:

ACTIONS:  Infraspinatus externally rotates your arm at the shoulder joint aka “lateral rotation (AWAY from the body) aka rotating your arm outwards (see video link for details!)

NOTE: INFRASPINATUS  muscle is often WEAK and OVER-STRETCHED on most people!  To strengthen them you simply need to do the action infraspinatus is responsible for: external rotation! Here is a video showing two ways you can do external rotation at the shoulder joint. 

https://vine.co/v/hYUMiOMO27B

To STRENGTHEN simply add a weight in your hand whilst doing the action!  No need to go out and buy a handweight, any ol' can in the cupboard will do! For strengthening move slowly to avoid injury. Try 10 reps for 3 sets or until you feel you've 'exhausted the muscle' REMEMBER: PAIN = BAD - SHAKING IS OKAY!

*once again an attachment point with the same name as the muscle yeah! It’s like Christine living on Christine Street!)

**You will soon see that all 3 out of 4 rotator cuff muscles’ attachment points INSERT at the same area; the greater tubercle of the humerus except just different FACETS (superior, middle,  & lesser)

Supraspinatus: 1 of 4 Rotator Cuff Muscles

“I injured my rotator cuff” how many times have you heard this? “

What is the rotator cuff anyway? We all know it has something to do with the SHOULDER – well!

The Rotator cuff consists of 4 smaller muscles around the shoulder blade – each responsible for moving your entire arm in various directions  (all directions actually – except EXTENSION)

Here’s how to remember all 4: the first letter of each rotator cuff muscle together spells S.I.T.S

SUPRASPINATUS.  INFRASPINATUS.  TERES MINOR.  SUBSCAPULARIS.

SUPRASPINATUS is 1 of 4 Rotator Cuff Muscles and the first S in 'SITS' :

 

 Let’s break it down:  SUPRA meaning ‘above’ and SPINATUS referring to the SPINE OF SCAPULA (a long bony ridge on the back of your shoulder blade (scapula) therefore the supraspinatus muscle sits “above the spine of the scapula”.

SUPRASPINATUS ATTACHMENT POINTS :

 Originates from the supraspinatus fossa of the scapula and inserts onto the SUPERIOR facet of the greater tubercle of the humerus (a bony bump on the ball of your shoulder!)

How lovely and fitting that the supraspinatus muscles lives in the “supraspinatus fossa”! 

ACTIONS: helps to move entire arm into flexion and abduction (see photo & video for details!)

These actions are possible because SUPRASPINATUS crosses the shoulder joint onto the top of the arm so that it can help move the arm move the arm!

Here is a visual of shoulder flexion and shoulder abduction!  https://vine.co/v/hYUAVY1H323