Scapular Body

Description

Scapular body (corpus scapulae) dominates this shoulder blade image as a triangular plate forming the central mass of the scapula on the dorsal thoracic wall. Along its posterior surface, the scapular spine arises and separates the supraspinous fossa superiorly from the infraspinous fossa inferiorly, while the medial (vertebral) border runs vertically toward the inferior angle and the lateral (axillary) border courses toward the glenoid region. The subscapular fossa occupies the anterior (costal) surface, opposed to the ribs, and the superior border leads toward the base of the coracoid process and suprascapular notch. Bony landmarks are crisp. Clinically, the scapular body matters because it is both a force-transmitting strut for the upper limb and a broad origin site for rotator cuff and periscapular muscles, including infraspinatus, supraspinatus, subscapularis, teres minor, and parts of the serratus anterior insertions along the medial border. Fractures of the scapular body are uncommon and typically reflect high-energy trauma, so being able to localize the spine, borders, and inferior angle helps communicate injury patterns and anticipate associated chest wall or brachial plexus involvement. The fixed dorsal emphasis also supports teaching of scapulothoracic mechanics by making the spine and fossae easy to orient relative to the posterior thorax. Use this illustration in gross anatomy and kinesiology coursework when introducing the pectoral girdle, or in orthopedic and sports medicine texts explaining rotator cuff attachments and scapular dyskinesis assessments (winging at the medial border, altered tilt at the inferior angle). It also suits trauma education and radiology correlation captions that map CT or plain-film descriptions to named scapular landmarks without ambiguity. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.