Quick Facts
Origin: Posterior cord of the brachial plexus.
Course: It runs medially in the posterior axilla towards the subscapularis muscle.
Branches: No named branches.
Supply: Motor innervation. Supplies the subscapularis muscle.
Related parts of the anatomy
Origin
The superior subscapular nerve arises from the posterior cord of the brachial plexus where it is typically the first or most proximal branch. It contains fibers from spinal cord segments C5 and C6.
Course
The superior subscapular nerve emerges from the posterior cord of the brachial plexus in the axilla. It emerges posterior to the second part of the axillary artery and runs a short distance medially in the posterior portion of the axilla. It terminates by innervating the upper portion of the subscapularis muscle.
Branches
There are no named branches of the superior subscapular nerve. It terminates in the muscle it innervates.
Supplied Structures
The superior subscapular nerve is a motor nerve whose fibers innervate the upper portion of the subscapularis muscle.
