- Serratus anterior muscle
Muscle infobox
Name = Serratus anterior |(boxer musscle) Latin = musculus serratus anterior
GraySubject = 122
GrayPage = 438
Caption = Serratus anterior
Caption2 = The left side of the thorax.
Origin = fleshy slips from the outer surface of upper 8 or 9ribs
Insertion =costal aspect ofmedial margin of the scapula
Blood =lateral thoracic artery (upper part),thoracodorsal artery (lower part)
Nerve =long thoracic nerve (from roots ofbrachial plexus C5, 6, 7)
Action =protracts and stabilizesscapula , assists in upward rotation.
Antagonist = Rhomboid major, Rhomboid minor, Trapezius
MeshName =
MeshNumber =
DorlandsPre = m_22
DorlandsSuf = 12550741
The serratus anterior is a muscle that originates on the surface of the upper eight ribs at the side of the chest and inserts along the entire anterior length of the medial border of thescapula .Function
The serratus anterior is occasionally called the "boxer's muscle" because it is largely responsible for the protraction of the scapula—that is, the pulling of the scapula forward and around the rib cage that occurs when someone throws a punch. The serratus anterior also helps to stabilize the scapula. In addition, it assists in rotating the scapula (
glenoid fossa ) upward.Innervation
The serratus anterior is innervated by the
long thoracic nerve , a branch of thebrachial plexus . The long thoracic nerve travels inferiorly on the surface of the serratus. The nerve is especially vulnerable during certain types of surgery (for example, duringlymph node clearance from theaxilla ). Seewinged scapula for more details.
=Additionalee also
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Serratus posterior inferior muscle
*Serratus posterior superior muscle External links
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* - "Superficial muscles of the anterior chest wall."
* - "Schematic illustration of a transverse section through the axilla."
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