Rhomboid major (Musculus rhomboideus major)
Educational content only — not medical advice.
Anatomy
A quadrangular sheet from the upper thoracic spine to the scapular medial border beneath levator scapulae; with the minor it acts as a scapular retractor pulling the bone toward the spine.
Origin & insertion
Spinous processes and supraspinous ligaments of T2–T5.
Action
Retracts the scapula, rotates the glenoid downward and fixes the bone to the chest wall.
Innervation
Dorsal scapular nerve (C5).
Clinical notes
Weakness from dorsal scapular nerve injury lifts the scapula off the chest (visible gap on push-back testing); chronic tension is the classic cause of medial-border scapular pain.
Related structures
Educational references
FAQ
What is the role of the Rhomboid major?
A quadrangular sheet from the upper thoracic spine to the scapular medial border beneath levator scapulae; with the minor it acts as a scapular retractor pulling the bone toward the spine.
Why is the Rhomboid major clinically important?
Weakness from dorsal scapular nerve injury lifts the scapula off the chest (visible gap on push-back testing); chronic tension is the classic cause of medial-border scapular pain.
Source & license
BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science licensed under CC Attribution 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). license details