TruEssence

Teres Major and Teres Minor

The Teres Major muscle is a muscle of the upper limb. It attaches to the scapula and the humerus and is one of the seven scapulohumeral muscles. It is a thick but somewhat flattened muscle. The teres major is sometimes referred to as the climbing muscle as it works in unison with the pectoralis major (pecs) and latissimus dorsi(lats) muscles to pull the trunk via adduction when its humeral attachment is fixed. This muscle also supports and helps to stabilize the lats, especially in wood-chopping movements. This muscle assists with the adduction (bringing closer to the body), internal rotation, and extension of the arm. The muscles only become active when there is resistance to these motions, and do not engage with normal, non-resisted motion.

The Teres Minor is a narrow, elongated muscle of the rotator cuff. The muscle originates from the lateral border and adjacent posterior surface of the corresponding right or left scapula and inserts at both the greater tubercle of the humerus and the posterior surface of the joint capsule.  As a rotator cuff muscle, the teres minor stabilizes the ball-and-socket glenohumeral joint by helping hold the humeral head into the shallow glenoid cavity of the scapula. The teres minor is especially critical in stabilizing the shoulder during medial rotation to prevent anterior dislocation of the humerus.

Useful massage techniques for the Teres Major and Minor muscles.