Pectoralis Minor

Description

Shown on a three-quarter anterior view of the male thorax, the pectoralis minor is isolated bilaterally as a thin, triangular muscle deep to pectoralis major, spanning from the anterior surfaces of ribs 3 to 5 near their costal cartilages to the medial border and superior surface of the coracoid process of the scapula. Its fibers run superolaterally, crossing the upper ribs and lying anterior to the costal pleura, with the rib cage, clavicles, and scapular outlines providing bony orientation. The muscle sits inferior to the clavicle and medial to the glenohumeral region, visually linking the anterior chest wall to the anterior scapula. Deep relationships are implied by position: the axillary vessels and brachial plexus course nearby as they pass beneath the clavicle toward the axilla. Pectoralis minor matters because small changes in its resting length and tone can tilt the scapula anteriorly and internally rotate it, narrowing the retropectoral space where the cords of the brachial plexus and the axillary artery run. This is the muscular landmark often discussed in neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome and in scapular dyskinesis patterns seen with shoulder pain and overhead athletes. It also guides anterior approaches during procedures around the coracoid, including coracoid process osteotomy and exposure for Latarjet-type stabilization, where protecting adjacent neurovascular structures depends on understanding what lies deep and medial. Use this plate in gross anatomy teaching on the pectoral region and axilla, in sports medicine materials addressing scapular positioning, or in surgical education that introduces the coracoid and deltopectoral interval as surface-to-deep landmarks. A clean reference for lectures, atlases, and patient-facing explanations of anterior shoulder tightness. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.