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Teres minor
Other Terms:
Teres minor muscle,
Musculus teres minor,
Muscle petit rond
Muscle parts
None
Latin name
Musculus teres minor
Latin muscle parts
None
Group
Shoulder joint muscle – rotator cuff
Etymology
In English, this muscle’s name means the smaller round muscle. The Latin word teres means “round or rounded off.”The term minor comes from the Greek meion meaning “lesser.” As is typical in anatomical terminology, this comparative reference clues you into the fact that this is a smaller version of a similar shaped larger muscle.
Origin
Upper third of the lateral margin of the scapula
Insertion
Lowest aspect of the greater tubercle of the humerus and to the humeral shaft just below the tubercle.
Action
Lateral rotation of the humerus – it acts with the infraspinatus and the posterior fibers of the deltoid to produce this movement.Stabilizes the shoulder joint - being part of the rotator cuff this muscle plays a prominent role in stabilization of the glenohumeral joint. It is active during most movements of the joint because it is acting to stabilize the head of the humerus in the glenoid cavity. It also contributes to adduction, especially if the arm is heavily loaded, but it is not a major contributor to this action because of its poor leverage.
Nerve supply
Axillary nerve (C5 and C6)
Blood supply
Circumflex scapular artery and posterior circumflex humeral artery.
Latin
Musculus teres minor
French
Muscle petit rond