Teres Minor Muscle, Posterior View

Description

Posterior dissection-style anatomy centers on the teres minor along the lateral border of the scapula, coursing superolaterally from the dorsal surface of the inferior lateral scapula to the inferior facet of the greater tubercle of the humerus. Superior to it, the infraspinatus occupies the infraspinous fossa and approaches the shoulder joint as its tendon narrows toward the greater tubercle, while the posterior deltoid forms a superficial cap laterally. Medially, upper trapezius and the rhomboid region frame the scapular spine, and inferiorly the latissimus dorsi contours the posterior axillary fold; the long head of triceps brachii descends just medial to teres minor at the posterior axilla. Fiber direction is clear. Teres minor is the small rotator cuff member that clinicians often forget until external rotation weakness persists with the arm abducted, a pattern that points away from isolated infraspinatus tendinopathy and toward combined cuff injury or denervation. The interval between teres minor (superior) and teres major (inferior, not always fully shown) defines the quadrangular space, where the axillary nerve and posterior circumflex humeral artery pass, so this posterior relationship helps explain teres minor atrophy after axillary nerve traction injuries or with quadrilateral space syndrome. Surgical planning benefits too, since posterior approaches to the shoulder and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty often rely on recognizing the teres minor and infraspinatus planes. Use this artwork in gross anatomy and kinesiology teaching to contrast infraspinatus versus teres minor lines of pull, or in orthopaedic and sports medicine publications discussing rotator cuff tears, axillary nerve palsy, and posterior shoulder pain patterns. It also fits physical therapy and radiology teaching files when correlating posterior anatomy with MRI findings of fatty infiltration or tendon retraction. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.