What are the rotator cuff muscles? and how can I remember them for exam day.
Learning 50 muscles as part of the Level 3 A&P exam is no simple task, but there is ONE group of muscles that learners notoriously struggle with… the rotator cuff muscles.
Watch This Week’s Parallel News video below for a neat acronym to help you learn the rotator cuff muscles and remember them.
What are the Rotator Cuff Muscles?
There are 4 Rotator Cuff Muscles. Their collaborative role is to stabilise the shoulder joint and assist global muscles in movements of the shoulder.
The four rotator cuff muscles are:
Supraspinatus
Infraspinatus
Teres Minor
Subscapularis
using the acronym SITS, will help you remember the order of the muscles, from the top (most superior) to bottom (most inferior).
NOTE the Teres Major is NOT one of the Rotator Cuff Muscles
If you want mock questions to test your knwoledge, then you can download more Free Mock Questions: DOWNLOAD NOW
Where are the Rotator Cuff Muscles?
The image below shows WHERE all FOUR of the rotator cuffs are positioned. Note these are shown from an anterior view (front of the body) and a posterior view (back of the body).
The image below is just showing the RIGHT side of the body. We have the exact mirror image of the muscles on the left and right sides of the body.
What are the actions of the Rotator Cuff Muscles?
Although all four rotator cuff muscles are responsible for stabilising the shoulder joint, they also all have another role, that is different for each muscle:
Supraspinatus:
Abduction of the humerus
Infraspinatus:
External Rotation of the humerus
Teres Minor:
External Rotation of the humerus
Subscapularis:
Internal Rotation of the humerus
Learning all of the muscles can feel overwhelming and frustrating. Staring at a manual and learning from the smallest of images. Our L3 Muscle Memory Flashcards will break each muscle down and make it super simple.
How to learn origins and insertions?
Learn, Revise & Remember All 50 Muscles In The Level 3 Anatomy & Physiology Exam.
(and the BEST part…You can do all this in as little as 5-minutes a day)
Each flashcard gives you a clear image and six clear muscle facts:
- Name and Location
- Origin and Insertions
- Muscle Actions
- Joints Crossed
- Primary Planes Of Movement
- Exercise Examples
Dedicated to More
Hayley “What are the rotator cuff muscles” Bergman
Parallel Coaching
P.S. You can also find us on the following platforms:
Instagram: Follow Now
Facebook: Like Our Page
Twitter: Tweet Us
YouTube: Subscribe Here
More Muscle Revision Blogs: HERE