Pictured above are the deltoid muscles. There are three sections which pull your upper arm toward your head. The front portion (anterior deltoid) pulls up and forward, the middle portion (medial deltoid) pulls your arm straight up away from the side of the body, and the back portion (posterior deltoid) pulls the arm up and back. Typically shoulder pain is caused by one or more of the other muscles that attach to or cross the shoulder joint. If you have shoulder discomfort take a good look at the lats, the pecs (especially the pec minor) and the rotator cuff muscles in addition to the delts.
The muscles are layered, showing how some of the muscles are covered by the others. All of the muscles are see-through so that you can appreciate the location and size of each muscle relative to the others.
Click here for a list of all the muscles.
Click here to see the shoulder muscles as a group.
Click your area of interest below. (any inactive links will be active soon)
Muscles that attach to the head or neck & the shoulder blade (scapula).
Muscles that cross the shoulder joint (attach somewhere in the torso and to the upper arm).
Muscles that attach to the shoulder blade (scapula) & the spine or ribs.
- Trapezius
- Levator Scapulae
- Rhomboid Minor
- Rhomboid Major
- Latissimus Dorsi
- Pectoralis Minor
- Serratus Anterior
Muscles that attach to the scapula & the arm
- Deltoids
- Supraspinatus
- Infraspinatus
- Teres Minor
- Subscapularis
- Teres Major
- Triceps (long head)
- Biceps Brachii
- Coracobrachialis
- Latissimus Dorsi
Good luck working out those tight knots.
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