MuscleShoulder — rotator cuff
Supraspinatus
Latin: M. supraspinatus
Location: Shoulder
View the supraspinatus in 3DOrigin
Supraspinous fossa of the scapula.
Insertion
Superior facet of the greater tubercle of the humerus.
Action
Initiates the first 15 degrees of arm abduction, compressing the humeral head into the glenoid throughout.
Nerve supply
Suprascapular nerve (C5–C6).
Blood supply
Suprascapular artery.
Clinical relevance
Its tendon degenerates under the acromial arch — the painful arc and rotator cuff tears start here; calcific tendinitis deposits hydroxyapatite in the critical zone.
Educational anatomy reference, not medical advice. About this content.