Supraspinatus muscle

Authors
Affiliations

Nathaniel Yomogida, B.S., SPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy

B.S. in Kinesiology

Chloë Kerstein, B.S., SPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy

B.A. in Neuroscience

Schematic of Rotator Cuff Muscles (anterior view)1 1: Supraspinatus 2: Infraspinatus 3: Teres Minor

Schematic of Rotator Cuff Muscles (anterior view)1
1: Supraspinatus
2: Infraspinatus
3: Teres Minor

Schematic of Rotator Cuff Muscles (posterior view)1 4: Subscapularis

Schematic of Rotator Cuff Muscles (posterior view)1
4: Subscapularis

Rotator Cuff (anterior view)1 Rotator Cuff (lateral view)1 Rotator Cuff (posterior view)1

Origin

Supraspinous Fossa of scapula1

Insertion

Greater tubercle of Humerus1

Innervation

Suprascapular n. (C4, C5, C6)1

Action

  • GHJ: Initiates abduction1
  • Stabilizes GHJ

Palpation

Tests

  • Champagne toast
  • ERLS (Possibly)
  • Empty can / Jobe test can be used to determine if there is suprascapular nerve neuropathy or supraspinatus problems

“Supraspinatus Tests Two techniques described in the literature can be used to test the supraspinatus muscle, the empty-can position—the elbow extended, the shoulder in full IR, and the arm in the scapular plane (thumbs-down position) (Fig. 16-29) (Table 16-25), and the prone position, in the full-can position—the elbow extended and the shoulder abducted to 100 degrees and externally rotated while the patient lifts the arm into abduction (thumbs-up position) (Fig. 16-30) (Table 16-25). Park and colleagues,126 investigated 215 patients with full-thickness supraspinatus tears confirmed by arthroscopy and found the Jobe test to have a sensitivity of 52.6% and specificity of 82.4%. For partial-thickness tears, the same study showed the Jobe test to have a 32.1% sensitivity and 67.8% specificity.126”2

Dysfunction

  • Supraspinatus tear
  • Supraspinatus tendonitis
  • Supraspinatus tendinopathy
  • supraspinatus paratenonitis

References

1.
Gilroy AM, MacPherson BR, Wikenheiser JC, Voll MM, Wesker K, Schünke M, eds. Atlas of Anatomy. 4th ed. Thieme; 2020.
2.
Dutton M. Dutton’s Orthopaedic Examination, Evaluation, and Intervention. 5th ed. McGraw Hill Education; 2020.

Citation

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