Serratus anterior muscle
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Knipe H, Yu Y, Deng F, et al. Serratus anterior muscle. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 24 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-23255
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rID:
23255
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Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Henry Knipe had no recorded disclosures.
View Henry Knipe's current disclosures
Last revised:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Yoshi Yu had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Yoshi Yu's current disclosures
Revisions:
11 times, by
9 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
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Synonyms:
- Serratus anterior muscles
Serratus anterior muscle is one of the four muscles of the pectoral region.
On this page:
Summary
- origin: lateral surface of 1st to 8th or 9th ribs
- insertion: medial border of the scapula
- innervation: long thoracic nerve
-
action:
- draws the scapula anteriorly against the chest wall
- when the scapula is fixed, assists in respiration
Gross anatomy
The serratus anterior muscle arises from the lateral 1st to 8th or 9th ribs as muscle slips that run posterosuperiorly around the chest wall, under the scapula to insert onto the costal surface of the medial scapular border 2.
Related pathology
Injury to the long thoracic nerve during axillary surgery causes winging of the scapula as serratus anterior no longer holds the scapula against the chest wall.
Serratus anterior injuries can be seen in baseball pitchers and rowers, with varying degrees of severity including avulsion from the origin at the ribs 2.
Variations
- attachment to the 10th rib
- absence of attachments to the 1st rib
- union with fibers of the insertion of the levator scapulae, external intercostal or external oblique muscles
Quiz questions
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References
- 1. Schuenke M, Schulte E, Schumacher U et-al. General Anatomy and Musculoskeletal System. Thieme. (2010) ISBN:1604062924. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 2. Sowmya L. Varada, Charles A. Popkin, Elizabeth M. Hecht, Christopher S. Ahmad, William N. Levine, Marc Brown, Tony T. Wong. Athletic Injuries of the Thoracic Cage. (2021) RadioGraphics. doi:10.1148/rg.2021200105
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Articles:
- Scapulothoracic bursitis
- External oblique muscle
- Elastofibroma dorsi
- Typical ribs
- Lateral thoracic vein
- Supraclavicular triangle
- Axillary artery
- Ribs
- Long thoracic nerve
- Intercostobrachial nerve
- Axilla
- Scapula
- Accessory muscles of respiration
- Pectoral region
- Scalenus posterior muscle
- Scapulothoracic joint
- Scapular depression
- Pectoralis major muscle
- Scapular protraction
- Superior thoracic artery
Cases:
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
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