| There are 4 muscles that make up the rotator cuff | | | | that performed by the teres minor muscles. The |
| located in each shoulder, each of them originating at | | | | subscapularis muscle differs slightly from the previous |
| the scapula, or the shoulder blade and meeting again at | | | | 2 muscles in that it depresses the humerus head |
| the top of the arm bone, or humerus to form a | | | | allowing free movement of the joint when the arm is |
| covering or cuff over the shoulder joint. These 4 | | | | elevated. |
| shoulder rotator cuff muscles individually and together | | | | While most of the functions of these 4 muscle groups |
| help in rotating and elevating the arm as well as | | | | may seem similar, the place of origin on the scapula |
| keeping the shoulder stable and their names can be | | | | and the point of insertion on the humerus determine |
| remembered with the mnemonic SITS - supraspinatus, | | | | more specifically their exact role in the movement of |
| infraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis. | | | | the arm and shoulder. Inflammation or tearing of one or |
| The supraspinatus muscle helps in elevating the | | | | more of these muscles and the tendons attaching to |
| shoulder joint as well as stabilising the head of the | | | | the bone due to injury are what cause shoulder |
| humerus in it. The infraspinatus muscle also stabilises | | | | stiffness, a condition that can only be eased or |
| the humerus head in the shoulder joint together with | | | | rectified through an extended physiotherapy regimen, |
| externally rotating the joint - functions that are similar to | | | | or in extreme cases, surgery. |