Description of the coracobrachialis muscle - what role it plays

Having trained for a long time in the gym, sometimes many people are not aware of the existence of a small muscle, but such an important one for stabilizing the upper limbs, as the coracobrachialis. Since the muscle is not external and is located under the biceps, some benchers do not even suspect what role the coracobrachialis muscle plays, considering only the pectoral and triceps muscles to be working muscles. In fact, to progress in all types of presses, you need to develop this particular muscle, and then increase the weight to grow the outer ones - pectoral, deltoid, and so on.

Topography and anatomical structure

The coracoid muscle of the shoulder (m.coracobrachialis) is a paired long muscle that has a flat shape . It is covered by the head of the biceps muscle along its entire length, which serves as a kind of protection. It starts from the top of the hook-shaped protrusion (coracoid process) and attaches to the medial surface (just below the middle) of the humerus in the area of ​​the lesser tubercle.

Nearby are nerve bundles and blood vessels that feed and innervate the muscle along its entire length. Usually the anatomy of the coracobrachialis muscle is correct, but in case of pathologies during intrauterine development, the muscle tissue is attached to the inner side of the epicondyle of the humerus .

The structure of adjacent tissues

The coracobrachialis muscle is part of the entire muscular complex of the shoulder. The tissues closest to it are the biceps muscle bundles (musculus biceps brachii).
This is a large muscle that can be easily felt under the skin, consisting of a long and short head. The long head comes from the scapular supraglenoid tubercle and fits into the intertubercular groove with long tendons. The short head originates from the coracoid scapular process. This is a flexor muscle that bends the shoulder at the shoulder and the forearm at the elbow joint. Another muscle, the brachialis muscle (musculus brachialis), flexes the forearm, bringing the shoulder closer to the forearm during fixation. It starts from the front of the humerus and intermuscular septa. Attached to the crest of the ulna.

The PCM at the attachment point is connected to the pectoralis minor muscle . It has a triangular shape and starts from the third to fifth rib. It attaches to the coracoid process of the scapula and passes near the brachial plexus.

Muscles of the shoulder girdle

The shoulder joint is considered to be the most complex joint in the human body. The upper limb is rightly called the most mobile part of the human motor system. Due to the high level of muscle development, all parts of the upper limb are quite mobile. The muscles of the shoulder girdle are divided into two groups: the muscles of the upper limb girdle and the so-called muscles of the free upper limb. In the processes of movement of the upper limb, along with these muscles, other muscles of the trunk are also involved, which begin on the bones of the upper limb or are attached to them.

Based on the name itself, you can determine the existing connection between the muscles of the shoulder girdle and the shoulder joint. These muscles contribute to the movement and fixation of the upper limb in the shoulder joint. The muscle group of the shoulder girdle includes the deltoid muscle, the supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles of the shoulder girdle, the subscapularis muscle and the round muscles (minor and major).

The deltoid muscle is located under the skin and provides coverage to the front, back and top of the shoulder joint. In addition, this muscle covers the shoulder joint on the lateral side, which ensures the formation of the roundness of the shoulder. The deltoid muscle performs quite complex and varied functions in the human body. With its help, flexion and extension of the upper limb is carried out. When this muscle is tense, the shoulder abducts.

The supraspinatus muscle is located deep in the supraspinatus fossa. It begins on the posterior surface of the scapula and in the area of ​​the supraspinatus fascia. The muscle bundles are attached to the upper surface of the greater tubercle of the humerus, and a separate part of them enters the capsule of the shoulder joint.

As for the infraspinatus muscle of the shoulder girdle, its origin refers to the area of ​​the back of the scapula and the infraspinatus fascia. This muscle is attached to the middle platform of the greater tubercle of the humerus, while some of the infraspinatus muscle bundles flow into the capsule of the shoulder joint.

Originating on the lateral edge of the scapula and on the infraspinatus fascia, the teres minor muscle is attached to the inferior platform of the greater tubercle of the humerus. This muscle is adjacent to the infraspinatus muscle from below, while at the back, it is, as it were, covered by the scapular part of the deltoid muscle.

The teres major muscle begins at the inferior part of the lateral border and inferior angle of the scapula. Directed medially and upward along the lateral edge of the scapula, muscle bundles pass through the humerus. This muscle is attached to the crest of the lesser tubercle of the humerus using a tendon.

And finally, the subscapularis muscle. It occupies almost the entire costal surface of the scapula. Originating on the surface of the subscapularis fossa and on the lateral edge of the scapula, the subscapularis muscle connects to the lesser tubercle and the crest of the lesser tuberosity of the humerus through a flat tendon. Since this muscle is multi-pennate, it has a very serious lifting force.

Blood supply and innervation

Blood with nutrients and oxygen flows to the coracobrachial muscle through the anterior and posterior arteries surrounding the humerus . They supply not only the muscular-ligamentous apparatus, but also the entire shoulder joint.

Innervation occurs due to the musculocutaneous nerve extending from the lateral bundle of the brachial plexus. Passes between the brachialis and biceps brachii muscles, intertwined with the fibers of the lateral cutaneous nerve of the forearm. The cervical nerves C6-C7 depart from it, which make the CPM sensitive.

Training Recommendations

• Strengthening the muscles and ligamentous apparatus is carried out with a small weight , gradually increasing, and a large number of repetitions.
• Push-ups in all possible variations with your own weight will prepare the muscle to stabilize the shoulder when lifting large weights. Perform exercises on the floor, on a hill, or on a bench or parallel bars.
• For trained athletes who are building muscle mass or increasing strength, they can perform exercises with heavy weights, allowing them to perform no more than 12 repetitions of 3-4 sets.

Development of the coracobrachialis muscle

When swimming breaststroke and backstroke, playing bowling, or practicing boxing, the coracobrachialis muscle is dynamically involved in the work. It also performs a static function, stabilizing the arm in a raised position, for example, when performing gymnastic exercises. To develop a muscle , you need to strengthen it by gradually increasing the load during training. To do this, they recommend lifting weights, exercising on uneven bars, and doing push-ups .

• Bench press. The shoulder blades are brought together as close as possible, rounding the chest. The bar is held with a wide grip. The shoulder joint is held so that the bar rises and falls clearly vertically, and does not fall to the sides.
  Read also:  Pain between the shoulder blades: causes, associated symptoms and treatment
• Press and raise dumbbells while lying on a bench. An effective exercise for developing the pectoral and coracobrachial muscles. The elbows are lowered below the surface of the bench until the chest muscles feel stretched. When lifting dumbbells, straighten your elbows, avoiding swinging your arms to the sides.

• Press in a sitting or standing position. Dumbbells or a barbell are suitable for performing the exercise. The main thing is to keep your shoulder stable when lifting.

• Swing with both hands with dumbbells. The movements are aimed at working the shoulder joint. At the same time, the elbow remains motionless. Raise the dumbbells in front of you with both hands or one at a time, without bending the elbow.

For trained athletes building muscle mass, it is advisable to work with heavy weights for 12 repetitions in 3-4 approaches.

Read also[edit | edit code]

• Muscles - anatomy and functions
• Muscles of the shoulder girdle
• Arm muscles
• Shoulders - exercises and training features
• Anatomy of the shoulder joint
• Trapezius muscle
• Levator scapulae muscle
• Rhomboid muscles
• Serratus anterior muscle
• Deltoid
• Supraspinatus muscle
• Infraspinatus muscle
• Subscapularis muscle
• Latissimus dorsi muscle
• Teres major muscle
• Teres minor muscle
• Pectoralis major muscle
• Pectoralis minor muscle
• Subclavius ​​muscle

Signs of Traumatic Injury

It is difficult to damage the coracobrachialis muscle; diagnosing the injury is also difficult.
Like any parts of the body or body tissue, the coracobrachialis muscle (ligament) is susceptible to various diseases and injuries. If you experience pain and discomfort in the shoulder area, you should consult a therapist. After the initial examination, the doctor will refer you for consultation to a specialist: orthopedist, traumatologist, rheumatologist, surgeon, etc.

Often, when there is a CPM injury, the doctor does not always determine the cause of the discomfort due to the anatomical location of the ligament. Some massage therapists do not pay attention to the rehabilitation of damaged tissues, believing that the muscle will heal on its own. However, lack of treatment leads to the development of brachial plexus neuropathy . As a result, the patient complains of constant numbness of the shoulder and forearm, partial loss of motor functions, and acute pain when flexing the upper limb.

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You can determine whether there is a traumatic strain or shortening of the coracobrachialis muscle by stretching your arm and slowly placing it behind your back. If there are injured tissues, severe pain will occur.

Participation in sports[edit | edit code]

This muscle plays a major role in all sports that require flexion of the forearm.

• Fixed forearm - rock climbing, gymnastics (pull-ups), pole vaulting.
• Fixed shoulder - boxing, handball (forearm throw without hand return).
• Without a fixation point - weightlifting, rowing, kayaking, luge, archery, breaststroke or backstroke.
• Static work - sprinting in cycling.

As an instep support, this muscle is active during all types of wrestling (freestyle wrestling, judo), as well as during fencing and breaststroke. In breaststroke swimming, gymnastics and tennis, this muscle is involved in movements as a shoulder flexor, and in fencing - as an internal rotator of the shoulder. With external rotation of the shoulder, the long head abducts the shoulder (diving, rhythmic gymnastics), and the short head adducts the shoulder during breaststroke. In addition, the short head adducts the upper limb during discus throwing, shot put, and tennis exercises from lateral abduction.

Inflammatory diseases

Inflammation affects nearby tissues.
Inflammatory processes in the muscular-ligamentous apparatus are called tendonitis . The disease can develop in any muscle, including the coracobrachialis muscle. There are many reasons for the appearance of pathology:

• professional sports;
• allergic and autoimmune reactions;
• local or general hypothermia;
• hormonal changes in women;
• chronic infections of internal organs.

As with injuries, a person experiences pain and discomfort when putting pressure on the shoulder joint. He cannot put his arm behind his back and experiences discomfort when raising his arm up. The skin in the affected area swells and turns red.

Diagnostic measures

During the diagnosis, the doctor checks muscle strength.
If the coracobrachial muscle is damaged, the specialist will palpate the problem area and identify painful lumps indicating the presence of a pathological process. Further diagnosis involves assessing the range of motion . They are limited and extremely painful during shoulder flexion and extension.

Muscle strength is also . The patient, in a sitting position, moves his shoulder back, partially bending his arm. The doctor presses down on the elbow, pressing it from the back. With weakened muscle strength, resistance does not occur, the hand becomes pliable.

Another standard examination is rubbing . The patient, in a sitting position, places his hand behind his back and begins to rub the back area with the back of his hand. If the muscle is affected, movements are not performed in full. The person experiences severe pain and discomfort.

If an inflammatory process is suspected, the specialist will refer the patient for arthoroscopy, blood and urine tests, ultrasound, MRI, and radiography of the shoulder. Based on the examination results, he prescribes therapy.

Treatment methods

The main method of recovery is exercise therapy, stretching.
The main methods of recovery of the injured coracobrachialis muscle are physical therapy, techniques for relaxing tense fibers and techniques aimed at stretching . Exercises are performed without sudden movements, carefully, smoothly. If pain occurs, the range of motion is reduced.

Muscle relaxation and stretching procedures are carried out under the supervision of a specialist. The number of sessions and courses is determined individually. At home, the patient performs simple gymnastic exercises that do not require special skills or experience.

Tendinitis is treated depending on the cause of its occurrence. The doctor prescribes physiotherapy (UHF, exercise therapy, electrophoresis, paraffin baths, etc.). Medicines are also used . To relieve pain and relieve inflammation, take non-steroidal drugs, analgesics, and in case of an infectious process, antibiotics. It is possible to administer injections of hormonal drugs into the shoulder joint area.