The teres major muscle (from Latin teres, meaning "rounded") is positioned above the latissimus dorsi muscle and assists in the extension and medial rotation of the humerus.
The teres major is a rectangular, thick, flat shoulder muscle extending from the lower scapular region below the armpit to the upper (proximal) part of the humerus’s shaft. It is one of the 7 scapulohumeral muscles that attach the humerus to the scapula, connecting the arm to the shoulder.
The Teres Major and Teres Minor are important muscles in the upper body that are often overlooked. Learn more about their differences, function, and why it is important to rest these muscles if you participate in overhead sports!
Explore the Teres Major muscle's origin, action, and innervation. Understand its role in arm movement and shoulder stabilization.
Extreme amounts of pressure can cause the muscle to tear, resulting in pain and difficulty with activities that require sideways or backwards movements with the arm. Isolated tears of the teres major are quite uncommon, but may occur in baseball or cricket players, especially pitchers and bowlers.
Teres major is a thick and ovoid muscle in the upper arm. Despite their similar names, Teres major has different actions and innervation from the Teres minor. It's mainly responsible for the medial rotation of the arm and it also contributes to static posture and arm-swinging.
In this article, we will discuss the anatomy and function of the teres major muscle. The teres major muscle originates from the posterior surface of the inferior angle of scapula, as well as from the lower part of the lateral border of the scapula.