Muscles

Teres minor

External rotator of the shoulder; member of the rotator cuff.

Referred pain map

Teres minor — trigger point at the lateral border of the scapula just below infraspinatus with a focal, intense referred pain in the posterior deltoid (with a small satellite spread down the arm) — a common 'deep spot in the back of the shoulder' often mislabeled as C5 radiculopathy or bursitis.

Overview

External rotator of the shoulder; member of the rotator cuff. Trigger points here are common in everyday and athletic populations and frequently contribute to the referred pain patterns described below.

Trigger point locations

Lateral border of the scapula below infraspinatus.

Referred pain pattern

Posterior deltoid in a focal spot, sometimes mimicking 'C5 radiculopathy'.

Palpation & testing

Palpate the muscle belly along its accessible course. Reproduction of the patient's familiar pain on palpation supports involvement.

Common causes

Throwing sports, overhead lifting, sleeping on the shoulder.

Self-care & clinical treatment

Sleeper stretch with care, sidelying ER. Clinically: needling is often immediately effective.

Symptoms commonly linked

Shoulder pain
Posterior shoulder pain

References

• Travell & Simons — Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction