Deltoid muscle
Last revised by Daniel J Bell on 22 Aug 2019
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Jones J, Bell D, Murphy A, et al. Deltoid muscle. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 25 Apr 2024) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-23169
rID:
23169
Article created:
26 May 2013,
Jeremy Jones ◉
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Jeremy Jones had no recorded disclosures.
View Jeremy Jones's current disclosures
Last revised:
22 Aug 2019,
Daniel J Bell ◉
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Daniel J Bell had no recorded disclosures.
View Daniel J Bell's current disclosures
Revisions:
12 times, by
9 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Sections:
Tags:
Synonyms:
- Deltoideus muscle
- Delts (muscle)
- Deltoid muscles
- Deltoids (muscle)
- Deltoideus muscles
The deltoid muscle (also known as deltoideus muscle) is the largest of the shoulder muscles. The muscle is composed of three heads (clavicular, acromial and spinous), although electromyography suggests that there are at least seven control regions that could act independently 1.
Summary
- origin: lateral 1/3 of the clavicle, acromion, lateral 2/3 of the scapula spine
- insertion: deltoid tuberosity of the humerus
- innervation: axillary nerve (C5-6)
-
arterial supply 2:
- acromial and deltoid branches of the thoracoacromial artery
- anterior and posterior humeral circumflex arteries
- subscapular artery
- deltoid branch of profunda brachii
-
action
- clavicular part (anterior fibers): flexion, internal rotation and abduction of the arm
- acromial part (superior fibers): abduction of the arm
- spinous part (posterior fibers): extension and external rotation of the arm
Quiz questions
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References
- 1. Brown JM, Wickham JB, McAndrew DJ et-al. Muscles within muscles: Coordination of 19 muscle segments within three shoulder muscles during isometric motor tasks. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2007;17 (1): 57-73. doi:10.1016/j.jelekin.2005.10.007 - Pubmed citation
- 2. Standring, Susan, and Henry Gray. 2008. Gray's anatomy: the anatomical basis of clinical practice. [Edinburgh]: Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier. http://www.clinicalkey.com/dura/browse/bookChapter/3-s2.0-B9780443066849X5001X
Incoming Links
Articles:
- Duchenne muscular dystrophy
- Deltopectoral groove
- Humerus
- Acromioclavicular joint
- Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty
- Axillary nerve
- Platysma muscle
- Shoulder
- Rockwood classification of acromioclavicular joint injury
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Subacromial-subdeltoid bursitis
- Critical shoulder angle
- Acromion
- Axillary artery
- Cephalic vein
- MRI of the shoulder (an approach)
- Arm flexion
- Scapula
- Arm internal rotation
- Cortical desmoid
Cases:
- Pseudotumour deltoideus
- Pseudotumour deltoideus
- Herniated intramuscular lipoma
- Lipoma - subdeltoid
- Quadrilateral space syndrome
- Pseudotumor deltoideus
- Parsonage-Turner syndrome
- Acromioclavicular joint injury with muscle injuries (ultrasound)
- Fibrosarcoma - recurrence
- Acromioclavicular injury - Rockwood type III
- Subdeltoid liposarcoma
- Prominent deltoid muscle insertion
- Axillary nerve palsy (MRI)
Multiple choice questions:
Related articles: Anatomy: Upper limb
-
skeleton of the upper limb
- clavicle
- scapula
- humerus
- radius
- ulna
- hand
- accessory ossicles of the upper limb
- accessory ossicles of the shoulder
- accessory ossicles of the elbow
-
accessory ossicles of the wrist (mnemonic)
- os centrale carpi
- os epilunate
- os epitriquetrum
- os styloideum
- os hamuli proprium
- lunula
- os triangulare
- trapezium secondarium
- os paratrapezium
- os radiostyloideum (persistent radial styloid)
- joints of the upper limb
-
pectoral girdle
-
shoulder joint
- articulations
- associated structures
- joint capsule
- bursae
- ligaments
- movements
- scapulothoracic joint
-
glenohumeral joint
- arm flexion
- arm extension
- arm abduction
- arm adduction
- arm internal rotation (medial rotation)
- arm external rotation (lateral rotation)
- circumduction
- arterial supply - scapular anastomosis
- ossification centers
-
shoulder joint
-
elbow joint
- proximal radioulnar joint
- ligaments
- associated structures
- movements
- alignment
- arterial supply - elbow anastomosis
- development
-
wrist joint
- articulations
-
ligaments
- intrinsic ligaments
- extrinsic ligaments
- radioscaphoid ligament
- dorsal intercarpal ligament
- dorsal radiotriquetral ligament
- dorsal radioulnar ligament
- volar radioulnar ligament
- radioscaphocapitate ligament
- long radiolunate ligament
- Vickers ligament
- short radiolunate ligament
- ulnolunate ligament
- ulnotriquetral ligament
- ulnocapitate ligament
- ulnar collateral ligament
- associated structures
- extensor retinaculum
- flexor retinaculum
- joint capsule
- movements
- alignment
- ossification centers
-
hand joints
- articulations
- carpometacarpal joint
-
metacarpophalangeal joints
- palmar ligament (plate)
- collateral ligament
-
interphalangeal joints
- palmar ligament (plate)
- collateral ligament
- movements
- ossification centers
- articulations
-
pectoral girdle
- spaces of the upper limb
- muscles of the upper limb
- shoulder girdle
- anterior compartment of the arm
- posterior compartment of the arm
-
anterior compartment of the forearm
- superficial
- intermediate
- deep
-
posterior compartment of the forearm (extensors)
- superficial
- deep
- muscles of the hand
-
accessory muscles
- elbow
- volar wrist midline
- palmaris longus profundus
- aberrant palmaris longus
- volar wrist radial-side
- accessory flexor digitorum superficialis indicis
- flexor indicis profundus
- flexor carpi radialis vel profundus
- accessory head of the flexor pollicis longus (Gantzer muscle, common)
- volar wrist ulnar-side
- dorsal wrist
- blood supply to the upper limb
-
arteries
- subclavian artery (mnemonic)
- axillary artery
- brachial artery (proximal portion)
- ulnar artery
- radial artery
- veins
-
arteries
- innervation of the upper limb
- intercostobrachial nerve
-
brachial plexus (mnemonic)
- branches from the roots
- branches from the trunks
- branches from the cords
- lateral cord
- posterior cord
- medial cord
- terminal branches
- lymphatic drainage of the upper limb