Posterior Full Body View of the Infraspinatus Muscle

Description

Posterior anatomy of an adult male is rendered in full body while drawing attention to the infraspinatus muscle on the dorsal scapula. The muscle belly occupies the infraspinous fossa inferior to the scapular spine, its fibers converging laterally toward the greater tubercle of the humerus, deep to the posterior deltoid and adjacent superiorly to the supraspinatus. Medially, the infraspinatus arises from the scapular surface, and laterally it approaches the glenohumeral joint line where the rotator cuff blends with the capsule. Clear boundaries. Clinically, this posterior orientation is the one you want when teaching rotator cuff mechanics and patterns of weakness in external rotation, since infraspinatus and teres minor are assessed together during resisted lateral rotation and during evaluation of axillary and suprascapular nerve integrity. It also maps directly onto common pain generators: tendinopathy and partial-thickness tears near the greater tubercle footprint, and suprascapular nerve entrapment at the spinoglenoid notch, which can produce isolated infraspinatus atrophy without supraspinatus involvement. Palpation landmarks follow the scapular spine down into the infraspinous fossa, a useful route when correlating surface anatomy with deep tendon pathology. Use this artwork in gross anatomy and kinesiology courses to anchor rotator cuff origin, insertion, and fiber direction on an intact posterior torso, or in orthopaedic and sports medicine publishing to accompany sections on posterior shoulder pain, external rotation testing, and rotator cuff rehabilitation. It also fits patient-facing education for MRI or ultrasound findings by keeping the scapular context intact while isolating the infraspinatus region. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.