The pectoralis minor
Pectoralis minor · musculus pectoralis minor
A thin muscle under the big chest muscle that tilts the shoulder blade forward.
What it does
The pectoralis minor runs from three upper ribs to a hook on the front of the shoulder blade. It pulls the shoulder forward and down, and when your shoulders are fixed it can lift the ribs to help with heavy breathing.
Surprising fact
Nerves and blood vessels heading to the arm pass right underneath it, so a tight pectoralis minor can make the whole arm tingle.
Why it matters
Long hours of hunched sitting can shorten this muscle and pull the shoulders forward, a reason chest stretches are part of most posture routines.
Nearby
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Sources
Drafted with AI help; awaiting a human fact-check against these sources.
Open in the 3D atlas · Suggest a correction · Not medical advice.
3D models: Z-Anatomy & BodyParts3D (CC BY-SA 4.0 / 2.1 JP). Card text CC BY 4.0.