Expansion
Suprascapular nerve, Upper and lower Subscapular nerves, Axillary nerve
Mnemonic
SITS for the muscles, then their nerves:
- S - Supraspinatus, suprascapular nerve (C5, C6)
- I - Infraspinatus, suprascapular nerve (C5, C6)
- T - Teres minor, axillary nerve (C5, C6)
- S - Subscapularis, upper and lower subscapular nerves (C5 to C7)
Two suprascapular, one axillary, one subscapular; the axillary nerve supplies teres minor on its way to deltoid, which is why both are lost in a surgical neck fracture.
Expansion
- Supraspinatus - Suprascapular nerve
- Infraspinatus - Suprascapular nerve
- Subscapularis - Upper and lower subscapular nerves
- Teres minor - Axillary nerve
Memory hook: the two “spinatus” muscles share the Suprascapular nerve, the Subscapularis takes the subscapular nerves, and teres minor rides along with the axillary nerve.