Infraspinous muscle
Musculus infraspinatus
Rotates the arm laterally, abducts it, and braces the lateral side of the shoulder.
About the infraspinous muscle of the dog
Infraspinous muscle is a muscle of the front leg (thoracic limb), one on each side of the body. Its name in the Nomina Anatomica Veterinaria is Musculus infraspinatus. Caudal to spine of scapula, deep to deltoideus; subtendinous bursa at insertion. You can turn it above, see it in place in the front leg of the dog, and open it inside the whole animal in Vetomica.
Where it runs from and to
A muscle is told apart from its neighbours by what it takes hold of at each end, which is also what decides what it does when it shortens.
- Origin
- Scapula: occupies the infraspinous fossa, caudal to the spine.
- Insertion
- Tendon attaches to the lateral face of the greater tubercle, just distal to the supraspinatus attachment.
- Action
- Rotates the arm laterally, abducts it, and braces the lateral side of the shoulder.
- Nerve
- Suprascapular nerve.
Written for Vetomica in its own words from the standard reference anatomy of the dog; the books it was checked against are listed below.
What it works on
Caudal to spine of scapula, deep to deltoideus; subtendinous bursa at insertion.
Bones it takes hold of
Muscles and ligaments it works with
Terminology
- English
- Infraspinous muscle
- Latin (NAV)
- Musculus infraspinatus
- Status
- A valid term in the Nomina Anatomica Veterinaria
References
Where to read this structure in full, and where the named parts above were read.
- NAV 2017Myologia: musculi membri thoracici
- Miller's Anatomy of the Dog, 5th ed.The Muscular System: muscles of the thoracic limb
- König & LiebichMuscles of the thoracic limb
- Dyce, Sack & WensingThe forelimb of the carnivores
- Miller 2020 (book pass)ch. 6 The Muscular System, PDF p. 558
Questions about the infraspinous muscle
- What is the Latin name of the infraspinous muscle?
- In the Nomina Anatomica Veterinaria, the infraspinous muscle is called Musculus infraspinatus.
- Where is the infraspinous muscle of the dog?
- Infraspinous muscle is a muscle of the front leg (thoracic limb), one on each side of the body.
- Which bones does the infraspinous muscle attach to?
- Infraspinous muscle takes hold of Scapula and Humerus.
- Where does the infraspinous muscle originate and insert?
- Origin: Scapula: occupies the infraspinous fossa, caudal to the spine. Insertion: Tendon attaches to the lateral face of the greater tubercle, just distal to the supraspinatus attachment.
- What nerve supplies the infraspinous muscle?
- Suprascapular nerve.
- What does the infraspinous muscle do?
- Rotates the arm laterally, abducts it, and braces the lateral side of the shoulder.
See the infraspinous muscle inside the whole dog.
Vetomica opens on this structure with every layer of the dog around it: peel back the skin and the muscles, cut a section through it, X-ray it, and practise naming it until you stop getting it wrong.
Free for 7 days, no card. After that the skeletons stay free.
