Lateral Perspective Of The Teres Minor Muscle

Description

Positioned along the posterior-lateral scapula, the teres minor arises from the upper two thirds of the margo lateralis of the scapula and runs laterally and slightly superiorly toward the proximal humerus. Its tendon blends with the posterior capsule of the glenohumeral joint and inserts on the inferior facet of the tuberculum majus, lying inferior to the infraspinatus tendon and posterior to the subscapularis. From a lateral perspective, the muscle belly sits deep to the deltoid and posterior to the long head of triceps at the axillary margin, with the humeral head and glenoid providing the articular backdrop. Fibers read obliquely. Clean anatomy. Teres minor matters because it is both a rotator cuff tendon and a posterior stabilizer, so its size and integrity influence external rotation strength and humeral head centering during abduction. On MRI it can show selective fatty atrophy with quadrilateral space syndrome from axillary nerve and posterior circumflex humeral artery compression, a pattern that differs from a suprascapular neuropathy affecting infraspinatus. This lateral orientation also mirrors the surgical corridor for a deltoid-splitting approach and helps clarify how posterior cuff tears can extend from infraspinatus into teres minor. Use this asset in shoulder and upper limb anatomy teaching (rotator cuff, glenohumeral biomechanics, and tendon insertions), in orthopaedic or sports medicine texts discussing external rotation deficits, and in patient-facing materials explaining posterior shoulder pain patterns. It also works well beside imaging figures to correlate tendon footprint on the greater tubercle with common tear morphology. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.