In: Anatomy and Physiology
The shoulder joint is a ball and socket joint between the scapula and the humerus. It is the major joint connecting the upper limb to the trunk.
As a ball and socket synovial joint, there is a wide range of movement permitted:
Extension (upper limb backwards in sagittal
plane) – posterior deltoid, latissimus dorsi and teres major.
Flexion (upper limb forwards in sagittal plane) –
pectoralis major, anterior deltoid and coracobrachialis. Biceps
brachii weakly assists in forward flexion.
Abduction (upper limb away from midline in coronal
plane):
The first 0-15 degrees of abduction is produced by the
supraspinatus.
The middle fibres of the deltoid are responsible for the next 15-90
degrees.
Past 90 degrees, the scapula needs to be rotated to achieve
abduction – that is carried out by the trapezius and serratus
anterior.
Adduction (upper limb towards midline in coronal
plane) – pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi and teres major.
Internal rotation (rotation
towards the midline, so that the thumb is pointing medially) –
subscapularis, pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, teres major and
anterior deltoid.
External rotation (rotation away
from the midline, so that the thumb is pointing laterally) –
infraspinatus and teres minor.
All these movements mentioned above will be affected if sustained injury to the shoulder joint.