Lower subscapular nerve
{{Infobox nerve
| Name = Lower subscapular nerve
| Latin = nervus subscapularis inferior
| Image = Gray807.png
| Caption = Diagram of brachial plexus (label for lower subscapular nerve at bottom center)
| Image2 =
| Caption2 =
| Innervates = Subscapularis and teres major muscle
| BranchFrom = Posterior cord
| BranchTo =
}}
The lower subscapular nerve, also known as the inferior subscapular nerve,{{Cite journal|last=Bustamante-Aliste|first=P. A|last2=Sousa-Rodrigues|first2=C. F|last3=Olave|first3=E|date=February 2020|title=Origen del Nervio Subescapular Inferior, Patrones de Ramificación y su Contribución a la Inervación del Músculo Subescapular|url=http://americanae.aecid.es/americanae/es/registros/registro.do?tipoRegistro=MTD&idBib=2906170|journal=International Journal of Morphology|language=en|volume=38|issue=1|pages=176–181|doi=10.4067/S0717-95022020000100176|issn=0717-9502|via=|doi-access=free}} is the third branch of the posterior cord of the brachial plexus. It innervates the inferior portion of the subscapularis muscle and the teres major muscle.
Structure
The lower subscapular nerve contains axons from the ventral rami of the C5 and C6 cervical spinal nerves.{{Citation|last=Rea|first=Paul|title=Chapter 2 - Upper Limb Nerve Supply|date=2015-01-01|url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128030622000024|work=Essential Clinically Applied Anatomy of the Peripheral Nervous System in the Limbs|pages=41–100|editor-last=Rea|editor-first=Paul|publisher=Academic Press|language=en|isbn=978-0-12-803062-2|access-date=2021-01-10}}{{Citation|last=Loftus|first=Brian D.|title=CHAPTER 2 - Clinical Neuroanatomy|date=2010-01-01|url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780323057127000027|work=Neurology Secrets (Fifth Edition)|pages=18–54|editor-last=Rolak|editor-first=Loren A.|place=Philadelphia|publisher=Mosby|language=en|isbn=978-0-323-05712-7|access-date=2021-01-10|last2=Athni|first2=Sudhir S.|last3=Cherches|first3=Igor M.}} It is the third branch of the posterior cord of the brachial plexus.{{Citation|last=Nicole Bentley|first=J.|title=Chapter 42 - Anatomy of the Posterior Cord and Its Branches|date=2015-01-01|url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780124103900000123|work=Nerves and Nerve Injuries|pages=563–574|editor-last=Tubbs|editor-first=R. Shane|place=San Diego|publisher=Academic Press|language=en|isbn=978-0-12-410390-0|access-date=2021-01-10|last2=Yang|first2=Lynda J. -S.|editor2-last=Rizk|editor2-first=Elias|editor3-last=Shoja|editor3-first=Mohammadali M.|editor4-last=Loukas|editor4-first=Marios}}{{Citation|last=Thomas|first=Jared|title=5 - Overview|date=2018-01-01|url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780323510547000051|work=Shoulder and Elbow Injuries in Athletes|pages=203–212|editor-last=Arciero|editor-first=Robert A.|publisher=Elsevier|language=en|doi=10.1016/b978-0-323-51054-7.00005-1|isbn=978-0-323-51054-7|access-date=2021-01-10|last2=Khan|first2=Moin|last3=Burrus|first3=M. Tyrrell|last4=Bedi|first4=Asheesh|editor2-last=Cordasco|editor2-first=Frank A.|editor3-last=Provencher|editor3-first=Matthew T.|url-access=subscription}} It gives branches to 2 muscles:
- subscapularis muscle. It usually gives 4 branches to innervate the subscapularis, and can give up to 8 branches.
- teres major muscle.
Function
The lower subscapular nerve innervates the subscapularis muscle and the teres major muscle. These muscles medially rotate and adduct the humerus.
Additional images
File:Brachial plexus.svg|Brachial plexus
File:Gray809.png|The right brachial plexus (infraclavicular portion) in the axillary fossa; viewed from below and in front.
File:Brachial_plexus_color.svg|Brachial plexus with courses of spinal nerves shown