The main abductors of the arm are the supraspinatus and deltoids. Rotation can be internal or external. The main internal rotators are the subscapularis and teres major. The main external rotators are the infraspinatus and teres minor.
The primary agonist for the abduction of the arm is the deltoid muscle, particularly its middle fibers. The supraspinatus muscle also plays a crucial role, especially in the initial 15 degrees of arm abduction. Together, these muscles facilitate the lifting of the arm away from the body.
When the arm is fully adducted, the line of pull of the deltoid coincides with the axis of the humerus; thus, it pulls directly upward on the bone and cannot initiate or produce abduction. This is why it requires assistance from the supraspinatis muscle to initiate abduction. From Clinically Oriented Anatomy, Seventh Edition, by Keith L. Moore, Arthur F. Dalley, and Anne M.R. Agur
The muscle strengthened by abduction of the shoulder is primarily the deltoid. This muscle, located on the upper arm and shoulder, is responsible for lifting the arm away from the body. The supraspinatus, a part of the rotator cuff, also plays a key role in the initial phase of shoulder abduction. Both muscles work together to facilitate this movement effectively.
The latissimus dorsi is the muscle responsible for moving the arm posterior or backwards.
When a muscle moves an entire limb away from the body it is an abductor, although there is no single name for all muscles that abduct. If a muscle increases the angle of a joint it is called an extensor. An extensor muscle and an abductor muscle are not to be mistaken. If you reach for something with your hand, without moving your torso, you are extending your elbow (extending your arm would be if you reached upwards from a position when your arm was by your side). On the other hand, abducting your arm would be reaching forward or out to the side.The opposite of abduction is adduction. The correct definition of abduction is the movement of a body part away from your body's center line. Your body's center line is basically an imaginary line extending straight down the middle of your body.
The deltoid muscle is located in the upper arm, covering the shoulder joint. It is commonly referred to as the deltoid and is responsible for arm abduction and rotation.
Lifting your arm away from your body is abduction
The supraspinatus muscle, part of the rotator cuff, initiates arm abduction by stabilizing the shoulder joint and helping to lift the arm away from the body. It contracts to pull the humeral head into the glenoid cavity, allowing the arm to move upward. This action is crucial in the first 15 degrees of abduction, after which other muscles, primarily the deltoid, take over to continue lifting the arm.
When the arm is pulled away from the trunk of the body, it is in a state of abduction.
Abduction of the arm is caused by contraction of the deltoid and supraspinatus muscles, which pull the arm away from the body. This movement allows for raising the arm to the side and is important for various shoulder and arm activities. Injuries or neurological conditions affecting these muscles or their nerve supply can lead to difficulty with arm abduction.
Shoulder abduction in the frontal plane primarily involves the deltoid muscle, particularly the middle fibers, which are responsible for lifting the arm away from the body. The supraspinatus, a rotator cuff muscle, also plays a crucial role in initiating the abduction movement. Together, these muscles enable the arm to move laterally and raise it upward.
Shoulder abduction is when the arm moves away from the body, while shoulder adduction is when the arm moves towards the body.