Supraspinatus Muscle Located, Gross Anatomy

Description

Centered on the posterior shoulder girdle of an adult female, the supraspinatus muscle occupies the supraspinous fossa superior to the spine of the scapula, its fibers running laterally toward the greater tubercle of the humerus beneath the acromion. Inferior to the scapular spine, the infraspinatus fills the infraspinous fossa, with teres minor along the lateral border of the scapula and the posterior deltoid forming the superficial contour of the shoulder. Superiorly, the trapezius spans from the nuchal region to the scapular spine and acromion, framing the supraspinatus region while the cervical and upper thoracic midline landmarks (spinous processes) provide orientation. Fiber direction is explicit. Tendon convergence is clear. Posterior emphasis on the supraspinatus matters because this muscle initiates shoulder abduction and contributes to glenohumeral joint stability, yet its tendon courses anterosuperiorly through the subacromial space where impingement and tendinopathy often develop. This view helps correlate the supraspinous fossa origin with the common site of rotator cuff tears near the greater tubercle, and it supports teaching why pain can localize to the lateral deltoid despite a lesion at the cuff. Surgical planning benefits too, since the relationship of supraspinatus to the scapular spine and acromion anchors portals and dissection planes for posterior approaches and arthroscopy. Use this plate for gross anatomy and kinesiology teaching when you need clean posterior surface anatomy of the shoulder, or for rotator cuff modules in orthopaedics, sports medicine, and physical therapy curricula. It also fits textbook figures on subacromial impingement, supraspinatus tendinopathy, and posterior shoulder examination maneuvers such as the empty can (Jobe) test. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.