Fractured Body of the Scapula, Posterior View

Description

Positioned on the posterior thoracic wall, the scapular body is shown with its spine running transversely toward the acromion, dividing the supraspinous fossa superiorly from the infraspinous fossa inferiorly. A fracture line traverses the scapular blade and extends toward the superior border, with adjacent bony margins emphasized to guide the eye. Laterally, the body thickens into the neck of the scapula and the glenoid region, where the proximal humerus relates at the glenohumeral joint. Posterior scapular body fractures are uncommon and usually reflect high-energy trauma, often occurring with rib fractures or pulmonary contusion in the same injury pattern, so the fracture trajectory toward the superior border is not an academic detail. It matters for stability and for surgical planning, because displacement can alter the contour of the scapulothoracic gliding surface and tether muscular attachments such as infraspinatus and teres minor along the lateral border, producing painful dyskinesis even when the glenohumeral joint itself remains congruent. Clear visualization of the fracture relative to the scapular spine and neck also helps explain why many cases are managed nonoperatively unless the glenoid neck, acromion, or coracoid are involved. Orthopedic trauma texts, emergency medicine teaching decks, and radiology correlations (scapular Y view and CT with 3D reconstructions) are common placements for this type of posterior shoulder illustration. It also fits gross anatomy and kinesiology modules when discussing scapulothoracic motion, rotator cuff origins, and mechanisms of injury in blunt posterior shoulder trauma. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.