# Back and Shoulder Muscles (Alizz Art)

<details id="bkmrk-this-line-will-be-vi"><summary>Preview:</summary>

Learn more about the most important back and shoulder muscles.

</details>**Synonyms: deltoid muscle; trapezius muscle; latissimus dorsi muscle; infraspinatus muscle; teres major muscle**

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### **Summary**

[Deltoid muscle](https://www.anatomyarchive.org/search?term=deltoid "More about the Deltoid")<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> : What are deltoid muscles? Your deltoid muscles are in your shoulder, which is the ball-and-socket joint that connects your arm to the trunk of your body. Deltoid muscles </span>**help you move your** [**arms**](https://www.anatomyarchive.org/search?term=arm "More about the arm") **in different directions**. They also protect and stabilize your shoulder joint.

[Trapezius muscle](https://www.anatomyarchive.org/search?term=trapezius "More about the Trapezius")<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> :Your trapezius muscles are two big muscles on either side of your upper back. They help you move your head, neck and upper back, and maintain and adjust your posture.</span>

[Latissimus dorsi muscle](https://www.anatomyarchive.org/search?term=Latissimus "More about the Lattisimus")<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> : The latissimus dorsi (or "lats") is a large back muscle crucial for arm movement like extending, adducting (bringing towards the body), and internally rotating the shoulder, essential for activities like climbing or pull-ups, and also helps with spine stability. and forced breathing (inspiration/expiration).</span>

<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Infraspinatus muscle : The infraspinatus muscle's action on the shoulder is primarily through its function as </span>**a rotator cuff muscle providing glenohumeral stability**. The rotator cuff applies compression upon the head of the humerus that allows for the stabilization of the humeral head during shoulder abduction.

<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Your </span>**shoulder joint**<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> (glenohumeral joint) is a ball-and-socket </span>[joint](https://www.anatomyarchive.org/search?term=joint "More about the joints")<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> that connects your upper arm bone (</span>[humerus](https://www.anatomyarchive.org/search?term=humerus "More about the Humerus")) and shoulder blade ([scapula](https://www.anatomyarchive.org/search?term=scapula "More about the Scapula")).

<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Teres major muscle : It's crucial for stabilizing the shoulder joint, helping to keep the humeral head in place, and assists in pulling the trunk upward during activities like climbing. </span>

#### **How to draw the muscles**

the first drawing shows the skeleton structure where the muscles are positioned.

The second drawing shows all the muscles stretched so they can be more easily identified.

The third drawing shows a closer look and the shoulder joint and its muscle group that help with the movement.

[![IMG_4265.jpeg](https://www.anatomyarchive.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-01/scaled-1680-/NG7img-4265.jpeg)](https://www.anatomyarchive.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-01/scaled-1680-/NG7img-4265.jpeg)

#### **Origin and Insertion**

<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Back muscles originate from various points, primarily the </span>[vertebrae](https://www.anatomyarchive.org/search?term=vertebrae "More about the Vertabrae")<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> (spinous &amp; transverse processes), ribs, </span>[skull](https://www.anatomyarchive.org/search?term=skull "More about the skull")<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span>[scapula](https://www.anatomyarchive.org/search?term=scapula "More about the scapula")<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> (shoulder blade), and the </span>**iliac crest**<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> (hip bone)</span>

All of these muscles are present in the back or dorsal part if the upper body.

#### **Function**

<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Strengthening of the dorsal upper body and helping with complex movements </span>

### **Advanced**

<details id="bkmrk-everything-beyond-th"><summary>Everything beyond the basics</summary>

No advanced section for now.

</details>#### **Reference Pictures (for study only)**

<details id="bkmrk-name-the-source-%28web"><summary>From Obscura 29, Grafit Studio, Reference.Pitcures</summary>

[![Grafit-Sample-010.jpg](https://www.anatomyarchive.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-01/scaled-1680-/grafit-sample-010.jpg)](https://www.anatomyarchive.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-01/scaled-1680-/grafit-sample-010.jpg)

**credit to:** [**Grafit Studio**](https://www.artstation.com/grafit/store?tab=digital_product "Grafit Studio")

[![Grafit-Sample-005.jpg](https://www.anatomyarchive.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-01/scaled-1680-/grafit-sample-005.jpg)](https://www.anatomyarchive.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-01/scaled-1680-/grafit-sample-005.jpg)

**credit to:** [**Grafit Studio**](https://www.artstation.com/grafit/store?tab=digital_product "Grafit Studio")

[![Reference-Pictures_High-Elf-0484 copy.webp](https://www.anatomyarchive.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-01/scaled-1680-/reference-pictures-high-elf-0484-copy.webp)](https://www.anatomyarchive.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-01/scaled-1680-/reference-pictures-high-elf-0484-copy.webp)

**credit to:** [**Reference.Pictures**](https://reference.pictures/ "Reference.Pictures")

[![Reference-Pictures_Figure-Drawing_Mage-3204 copy.webp](https://www.anatomyarchive.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-01/scaled-1680-/reference-pictures-figure-drawing-mage-3204-copy.webp)](https://www.anatomyarchive.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-01/scaled-1680-/reference-pictures-figure-drawing-mage-3204-copy.webp)

**credit to:** [**Reference.Pictures**](https://reference.pictures/ "Reference.Pictures")

[![Reference-Pictures_Dramatic-Figure-Lighting-3389 copy.webp](https://www.anatomyarchive.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-01/scaled-1680-/reference-pictures-dramatic-figure-lighting-3389-copy.webp)](https://www.anatomyarchive.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-01/scaled-1680-/reference-pictures-dramatic-figure-lighting-3389-copy.webp)

**credit to:** [**Reference.Pictures**](https://reference.pictures/ "Reference.Pictures")

[![Grafit-Sample-047.jpg](https://www.anatomyarchive.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-01/scaled-1680-/grafit-sample-047.jpg)](https://www.anatomyarchive.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-01/scaled-1680-/grafit-sample-047.jpg)

**credit to:** [**Grafit Studio**](https://www.artstation.com/grafit/store?tab=digital_product "Grafit Studio")

[![Grafit-Sample-029.jpg](https://www.anatomyarchive.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-01/scaled-1680-/grafit-sample-029.jpg)](https://www.anatomyarchive.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-01/scaled-1680-/grafit-sample-029.jpg)

**credit to:** [**Grafit Studio**](https://www.artstation.com/grafit/store?tab=digital_product "Grafit Studio")

[![obscura.jpg](https://www.anatomyarchive.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-01/scaled-1680-/obscura.jpg)](https://www.anatomyarchive.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-01/scaled-1680-/obscura.jpg)

**credit to:** [**Obscura 29**](https://www.artstation.com/obscura29/store?tab=digital_product "Obscura 29")

[![obscura 2.jpg](https://www.anatomyarchive.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-01/scaled-1680-/obscura-2.jpg)](https://www.anatomyarchive.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-01/scaled-1680-/obscura-2.jpg)

**credit to:** [**Obscura 29**](https://www.artstation.com/obscura29/store?tab=digital_product "Obscura 29")

</details>  
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