Muscle Monday 6: Rotator Cuff Series pt. 3: Infraspinatus

Third in our rotator cuff series of Muscle Monday is Teres Minor, teres being Latin meaning round and cylindrical, hinting at the muscle’s shape.

Teres min. can be thought of as the smaller, weaker partner to infraspinatus. They are located right next to each other, have very similar origins and insertions, and perform the same actions. They kind of remind me of that bulldog Spike from Looney Tunes with the little bulldog puppy Chester who wanted to follow him around and copy everything he does.

Because there isn’t much to say about teres minor that I didn’t already say about infraspinatus (other than comparing them to classic cartoon characters), I thought for this entry I would spend more time talking about how injuries could occur and ways you can prevent this.

Because teres minor and infraspinatus are so closely related, it can often be difficult to even distinguish if teres minor is the one with the injury, especially since in some cases the two muscles can actually be joined together. The injured tendon can be identified through very careful palpation, which will likely be quite painful. Some targeted orthopedic assessments can also help identify the injured muscle.

Rotator cuff injuries most commonly occur during sports, especially in throwing motions such as in baseball, and with overhead motions. All the rotator cuff muscles work together to hold the head of the humerus inside the glenoid fossa, so when we throw a ball we are making those muscles work hard and we’re putting them in a vulnerable position. So a tear could occur from a direct injury, but it could also be caused by chronic impingement from repetitive motion and overly tight muscles.

Incorporating rotator cuff strengthening exercises into your gym routine alongside regular massages can go a long way in preventing or rehabbing an injury of this nature.