| Origin | Spinous process of T2 to T5 vertebrae |
| Insertion | Medial border of the scapula |
| Actions | Retraction of the scapula Rotation of the scapula to depress the glenoid cavity Elevation of the scapula |
| Nerve | Dorsal scapular nerve (C5) |
| Artery | Dorsal scapular artery |
Location & Overview
The rhomboid major is a muscle of the upper back which connects the vertebrae of the spine with the scapula. It is a part of the two muscles known as the rhomboids (consisting of the rhomboid major and minor). The rhomboids are important for providing stability of both the shoulder girdle and scapula. The rhomboid major is located inferiorly to the rhomboid minor muscle. The rhomboid major assists in holding the scapula to the rib cage. Some examples of other muscles which assist in this task are the pectoralis minor and serratus anterior [1] [2].
Pictured here we can see the rhomboid major muscle.
Pictured here we can see both the rhomboid major and minor together.
Origin & Insertion
The rhomboid major originates at the spinous processes of T2 to T5 of the vertebrae. It then inserts at the medial border of the scapula [3] [4] [5] [6].
Pictured here we can see the origin of the rhomboid major muscle. Spinous process of T2 to T5 vertebrae highlighted in red.
Here we can see the insertion of the rhomboid major muscle highlighted in blue. It inserts on the medial border of the scapula.
Actions
The rhomboid major can retract the scapula which pulls it towards the vertebra. The rhomboid minor also assists with this. The rhomboid major also rotates the scapula inferiorly in order to depress the glenoid cavity. It also assists with scapular elevation [7] [8] [9] [10].
Innervation
The rhomboid major muscle is innervated by the dorsal scapular nerve (C5) [11].
Blood Supply
Blood is supplied from the dorsal scapular artery and in some individuals, via a deep branch of the transverse cervical artery[12] [13].
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Rhomboid major flashcards
References
| ↑1, ↑3, ↑11, ↑12 | Farrell C, Kiel J. Anatomy, Back, Rhomboid Muscles. [Updated 2021 Jul 26]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK534856/ |
|---|---|
| ↑2, ↑9 | Moore KL, Agur AMR, Dalley AF. Clinically Oriented Anatomy. 8th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincot Williams & Wilkins; 2017. |
| ↑4, ↑7 | Martin RM, Fish DE. Scapular winging: anatomical review, diagnosis, and treatments. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2008 Mar;1(1):1-11. doi: 10.1007/s12178-007-9000-5. PMID: 19468892; PMCID: PMC2684151. |
| ↑5 | Beger O, Dinç U, Beger B, Uzmansel D, Kurtoğlu Z. Morphometric properties of the levator scapulae, rhomboid major, and rhomboid minor in human fetuses. Surg Radiol Anat. 2018 Apr;40(4):449-455. doi: 10.1007/s00276-018-2002-8. Epub 2018 Mar 15. PMID: 29541801. |
| ↑6, ↑8 | Paine R, Voight ML. The role of the scapula. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2013 Oct;8(5):617-29. PMID: 24175141; PMCID: PMC3811730. |
| ↑10 | Mitchell B, Imonugo O, Tripp JE. Anatomy, Back, Extrinsic Muscles. [Updated 2021 Aug 4]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537216/ |
| ↑13 | Ikka L, Mihalea C, Achour NB, Khalek HA, Vacher C. The origin of the dorsal scapular artery: anatomic variations and surgical applications. Surg Radiol Anat. 2016 Nov;38(9):1021-1027. doi: 10.1007/s00276-016-1656-3. Epub 2016 Feb 26. PMID: 26920558. |
