Deltoid muscle - wikipedia Deltoid muscle `` Delts '' redirects here. For the fraternity, see Delta Tau Delta. Deltoid muscle Deltoid muscle Muscles connecting the upper extremity to the vertebral column Details Origin the anterior border and upper surface of the lateral third of the clavicle, acromion, spine of the scapula Insertion deltoid tuberosity of humerus Artery thoracoacromial artery, anterior and posterior humeral circumflex artery Nerve Axillary nerve Actions shoulder abduction, flexion and extension Antagonist Latissimus dorsi Identifiers Latin musculus deltoideus Dorlands / Elsevier m_22 / 12548745 TA A04. 6.02. 002 FMA 32521 Anatomical terms of muscle ( edit on Wikidata ) In human anatomy, the deltoid muscle is the muscle forming the rounded contour of the shoulder. Anatomically, it appears to be made up of three distinct sets of fibers though electromyography suggests that it consists of at least seven groups that can be independently coordinated by the nervous system. It was previously called the deltoideus ( plural deltoidei ) and the name is still used by some anatomists. It is called so because it is in the shape of the Greek capital letter delta ( Δ ). It is also known as the common shoulder muscle, particularly in other animals such as the domestic cat. Deltoid is also further shortened in slang as `` delt ''. A study of 30 shoulders revealed an average mass of 191.9 grams ( 6.77 oz ) in humans, ranging from 84 grams ( 3.0 oz ) to 366 grams ( 12.9 oz ). Contents 1 Structure 1.1 Insertion 1.2 Blood supply 1.3 Innervation 2 Function 3 Clinical significance 4 In other animals 5 References 6 See also Structure Previous studies showed that the insertion of the intramuscular tendons of the deltoid muscle formed three discrete sets of fibers, often referred to as `` heads '' : The anterior or clavicular fibers arises from most of the anterior border and upper surface of the lateral third of the clavicle. The anterior origin lies adjacent to the lateral fibers of the pectoralis major muscle as do the end tendons of both muscles. These muscle fibers are closely related and only a small chiasmatic space, through which the cephalic vein passes, prevents the two muscles from forming a continuous muscle mass. The anterior deltoid are commonly called front delts for short. Lateral or acromial fibers arise from the superior surface of the acromion process of the scapula. They are commonly called lateral deltoid. This muscle is also called middle delts, outer delts, or side delts for short. They are also mistakenly called medial deltoid, which is wrong, as their origin is the least medial portion of the deltoid. Posterior or spinal fibers arise from the lower lip of the posterior border of the spine of the scapula. They are commonly called posterior deltoid or rear deltoid ( rear delts for short ). Fick divided these three groups of fibers, often referred to as parts ( Latin : pars ) or bands, into seven functional components as did Kapandji and Sakoma Y et. al. : : the anterior part has two components ( I and II ) ; the lateral one ( III ) ; and the posterior four ( IV, V, VI, and VII ) components. In standard anatomical position ( with the upper limb hanging alongside the body ), the central components ( II, III, and IV ) lie lateral to the axis of abduction and therefore contribute to abduction from the start of the movement while the other components ( I, V, VI, and VII ) then act as adductors. During abduction most of these latter components ( except VI and VII which always act as adductors ) are displaced laterally and progressively start to abduct. Side. Front. Back. Animation. Deltoid muscle. Anterior part of deltoid ( arises from most of the anterior border and upper surface of the lateral third of the clavicle. ) Lateral part of deltoid ( arises from the superior surface of the acromion process. ) Posterior part of deltoid ( arises from the lower lip of the posterior border of the spine of the scapula. ) Insertion From this extensive origin the fibers converge toward their insertion on the deltoid tuberosity on the middle of the lateral aspect of the shaft of the humerus ; the middle fibers passing vertically, the anterior obliquely backward and laterally, and the posterior obliquely forward and laterally. Though traditionally described as a single insertion, the deltoid insertion is divided into two or three discernible areas corresponding to the muscle 's three areas of origin. The insertion is an arch - like structure with strong anterior and posterior fascial connections flanking an intervening tissue bridge. It additionally gives off extensions to the deep brachial fascia. Furthermore, the deltoid fascia contributes to the brachial fascia and is connected to the medial and lateral intermuscular septa. Blood supply The deltoid is supplied by the posterior circumflex humeral artery and the deltoid branch of the thoracoacromial artery which branches from the axillary artery. Innervation The deltoid is innervated by the axillary nerve. The axillary nerve originates from the anterior rami of the cervical nerves C5 and C6, via the superior trunk, posterior division of the superior trunk, and the posterior cord of the brachial plexus. The axillary nerve is sometimes damaged during surgical procedures of the axilla, such as for breast cancer. It may also be injured by anterior dislocation of the head of the humerus. Function When all its fibers contract simultaneously, the deltoid is the prime mover of arm abduction along the frontal plane. The arm must be medially rotated for the deltoid to have maximum effect ( ). This makes the deltoid an antagonist muscle of the pectoralis major and latissimus dorsi during arm adduction. The anterior fibers assist Pectoralis Major to flex the shoulder. The anterior deltoid also works in tandem with the subscapularis, pecs and lats to internally ( medially ) rotate the humerus. The lateral fibers perform basic shoulder abduction when the shoulder is internally rotated, and perform shoulder transverse abduction when the shoulder is externally rotated. They are not utilized significantly during strict transverse extension ( shoulder internally rotated ) such as in rowing movements, which use the posterior fibers. Deltoid muscle with superior limb in abduction The posterior fibers assist Latissimus Dorsi to extend the shoulder. Other transverse extensors, the infraspinatus and teres minor, also work in tandem with the posterior deltoid as external ( lateral ) rotators, antagonists to strong internal rotators like the pecs and lats. An important function of the deltoid in humans is preventing the dislocation of the humeral head when a person carries heavy loads. The function of abduction also means that it would help keep carried objects a safer distance away from the thighs to avoid hitting them, as during a farmer 's walk. It also ensures a precise and rapid movement of the glenohumeral joint needed for hand and arm manipulation. The lateral fibers are in the most efficient position to perform this role, though like basic abduction movements ( such as lateral raise ) it is assisted by simultaneous co-contraction of anterior / posterior fibers. The deltoid is responsible for elevating the arm in the scapular plane and its contraction in doing this also elevates the humeral head. To stop this compressing against the undersurface of the acromion the humeral head and injuring the supraspinatus tendon, there is a simultaneous contraction of some of the muscles of the rotator cuff : the infraspinatus and subscapularis primarily perform this role. In spite of this there may be still a 1 -- 3 mm upward movement of the head of the humerus during the first 30 ° to 60 ° of arm elevation. Clinical significance The most common abnormalities affecting the deltoid are tears, fatty atrophy, and enthesopathy. Deltoid muscle tears are unusual and frequently related to traumatic shoulder dislocation or massive rotator cuff tears. Muscle atrophy is the result of various causes, including aging, disuse, denervation, muscular dystrophy, cachexia and iatrogenic injury. Deltoideal humeral enthesopathy is an exceedingly rare condition related to mechanical stress. Conversely, deltoideal acromial enthesopathy is likely a hallmark of seronegative spondylarthropathies and its detection should probably be followed by pertinent clinical and serological investigation. In other animals The deltoid is also found in members of the great ape family other than humans. The human deltoid is of similar proportionate size as the muscles of the rotator cuff in apes like the orangutan, which engage in brachiation and possess the muscle mass needed to support the body weight by the shoulders. In other apes, like the common chimpanzee, the deltoid is much larger than in humans, weighing an average of 383.3 g compared to 191.9 g in humans. This reflects the need to strengthen the shoulders, particularly the rotatory cuff, in knuckle walking apes for the purpose of supporting the entire body weight. References Jump up ^ Brown JM, Wickham JB, McAndrew DJ, Huang XF. ( 2007 ). Muscles within muscles : Coordination of 19 muscle segments within three shoulder muscles during isometric motor tasks. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 17 ( 1 ) : 57 - 73. PMID 16458022 doi : 10.1016 / j. jelekin. 2005.10. 007 ^ Jump up to : Potau JM, Bardina X, Ciurana N, Camprubí D. Pastor JF, de Paz F. Barbosa M. ( 2009 ). Quantitative Analysis of the Deltoid and Rotator Cuff Muscles in Humans and Great Apes. Int J Primatol 30 : 697 -- 708. doi : 10.1007 / s10764 - 009 - 9368 - 8 Jump up ^ The Anatomy of the Shoulder Muscles : `` The Deltoid is a three - headed muscle that caps the shoulder. The three heads of the Deltoid are the Anterior, Lateral, and Posterior. '' ^ Jump up to : `` Deltoid Muscle ''. Wheeless ' Textbook of Orthopaedics. December 2011. Retrieved January 2012. Check date values in : access - date = ( help ) Jump up ^ Leijnse, JNAL ; Han, S-H ; Kwon, YH ( December 2008 ). `` Morphology of deltoid origin and end tendons -- a generic model '' ( PDF ). J Anat. 213 ( 6 ) : 733 -- 742. PMC 2666142. PMID 19094189. doi : 10.1111 / j. 1469 - 7580.2008. 01000. x. Retrieved January 2012. Check date values in : access - date = ( help ) Jump up ^ Anterior Deltoid ^ Jump up to : Pick up your delts from Muscle and Fitness : `` target point : front / middle delts '' ^ Jump up to : Lateral deltoid Jump up ^ The Best Exercise for Outer Delts on LiveStrong.com in 2011 Jump up ^ Shoulders Anatomy by Yu Yevon Jump up ^ Posterior Deltoid Jump up ^ Rear Deltoid Stretch Jump up ^ Lee Hayward - Rear delts Jump up ^ Fick, R. ( 1911 ). Handbuch der Anatomie und Mekanik der Gelenke. Jena : Gustav Fischer. ^ Jump up to : Kapandji, Ibrahim Adalbert ( 1982 ). The Physiology of the Joints : Volume One Upper Limb ( 5th ed. ). New York : Churchill Livingstone. Jump up ^ ( Anatomical and functional segments of the deltoid muscle. J Anat. 2011 Feb ; 218 ( 2 ) : 185 - 90. doi : 10.1111 / j. 1469 - 7580.2010. 01325. x. Epub 2010 Nov 30. ) : `` Jump up ^ Rispoli, Damian M. ; Athwal, George S. ; Sperling, John W. ; Cofield, Robert H. ( 2009 ). `` The anatomy of the deltoid insertion '' ( PDF ). J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 18 : 386 -- 390. doi : 10.1016 / j. jse. 2008.10. 012. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 2012 - 09 - 04. ^ Jump up to : Anatomy photo : 03 : 03 - 0103 at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center Jump up ^ Radiography of the Upper Extremities : 24 ARRT Category A. CE4RT, 2014. 201. Print. Jump up ^ Muscles / DeltoidAnterior at exrx.net Jump up ^ Muscles / DeltoidLateral at exrx.net Jump up ^ Muscles / DeltoidPosterior at exrx.net Jump up ^ http://muscleguide.co.uk/exercises/lateral-deltoid-raise.html Jump up ^ Arend CF. Ultrasound of the Shoulder. Master Medical Books, 2013. Chapter on deltoideal enthesopathy available at ShoulderUS.com See also Wikimedia Commons has media related to Deltoid muscles. This article uses anatomical terminology ; for an overview, see Anatomical terminology. Muscles of the arm Shoulder deltoid rotator cuff supraspinatus infraspinatus teres minor subscapularis teres major fascia : deltoid fascia supraspinous fascia infraspinous fascia Arm ( compartments ) anterior coracobrachialis biceps brachialis posterior triceps brachii anconeus articularis cubiti fascia axillary sheath axillary fascia brachial fascia intermuscular septa lateral medial other spaces quadrangular space triangular space triangular interval Forearm anterior superficial : pronator teres palmaris longus flexor carpi radialis flexor carpi ulnaris flexor digitorum superficialis deep : pronator quadratus flexor digitorum profundus flexor pollicis longus posterior superficial : mobile wad brachioradialis extensor carpi radialis longus and brevis extensor digitorum extensor digiti minimi extensor carpi ulnaris deep : supinator anatomical snuff box abductor pollicis longus extensor pollicis brevis extensor pollicis longus extensor indicis fascia bicipital aponeurosis common tendons extensor flexor antebrachial fascia other cubital tunnel Hand lateral volar thenar opponens pollicis flexor pollicis brevis abductor pollicis brevis adductor pollicis medial volar hypothenar opponens digiti minimi flexor digiti minimi brevis abductor digiti minimi palmaris brevis intermediate lumbrical interossei dorsal palmar fascia posterior : extensor retinaculum extensor expansion anterior : flexor retinaculum palmar aponeurosis Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Deltoid_muscle&oldid=808013021 '' Categories : Muscles of the upper limb Shoulder abductors Shoulder flexors Shoulder medial rotators Shoulder extensors Shoulder lateral rotators Hidden categories : CS1 errors : dates Medicine infobox template using GraySubject or GrayPage Medicine infobox template using Dorlands parameter All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from June 2011 Commons category with local link different than on Wikidata Talk Contents About Wikipedia Azərbaycanca Български Català Čeština Cymraeg Dansk Deutsch Ελληνικά Español Euskara فارسی Français Galego Hrvatski Ido Bahasa Indonesia Italiano עברית Basa Jawa Latina Latviešu Magyar Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk nynorsk Polski Português Română Русский Scots Simple English Slovenščina Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska Tagalog தமிழ் ไทย Türkçe Українська 粵語 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 31 October 2017, at 10 : 31. 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Question: where does the deltoid muscle get its name
Answer: because it is in the shape of the Greek capital letter delta