Rhomboid minor
Muscles connecting the upper extremity to the vertebral column. (Rhomboideus minor visible at upper center right, near shoulder.)
Latin	musculus rhomboideus minor
Gray's	subject #121 434
Origin	nuchal ligaments and spinous processes of C7 to T1 vertebrae
Insertion	small area of posteromedial border of scapula at level of spine, below levator scapulae, superior to the insertion of rhomboid major muscle
Artery	dorsal scapular artery
Nerve	dorsal scapular nerve (C4 and C5)
Actions	Retracts the scapula and rotates it to depress the glenoid cavity. Fixes the scapula to the thoracic wall. It also rotates lower scapula back to rest position.
Antagonist	Serratus anterior muscle

The Rhomboideus minor arises from the lower part of the ligamentum nuchæ and from the spinous processes of the seventh cervical and first thoracic vertebræ.

It is inserted into the vertebral border (aka the medial border) of the scapula. This is at the base of the bony process, which terminates in the acromion. It acts to adduct and laterally rotate the scapula. It also retracts the scapula, rotates lower pole of scapula medially, depresses the gelnoid cavity, and fixes the scapula to the thoracic wall. The joint affected is the shoulder girdle. The nerve supply comes from the dorsal scapular nerve (C5) from the root. Innervation is the dorsal scapular nerve (C4 and C5). The rhomboid minor gets its arterial blood supply from the dorsal scapular artery. It is usually separated from the Rhomboideus major by a slight interval, but the adjacent margins of the two muscles are occasionally united. The Rhomboideus minor is superior to the Rhomboideus major.

[edit] Additional images

Left scapula. Dorsal surface.

The scapular and circumflex arteries.

[edit] External links

• LUC rhmn
• 194641998 at GPnotebook
• SUNY Labs 01:st-0211
• rhomboid+minor+muscle at eMedicine Dictionary

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.

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