Anatom3DDorsal scapular nerve
Nervus dorsalis scapulae · Dorzální lopatkový nerv
Nervous system
Looks like
A branch of the C5 root that pierces the middle scalene and runs down along the inner edge of the shoulder blade.
What it does
Moves the rhomboids and part of levator scapulae, which pull the shoulder blade toward the spine.
Keeping it well
Can be trapped in the scalene muscle, causing aching between the shoulder blades; rarely weakness.
Related conditions
- Amyloidosis (AL and ATTR)
- Botulism
- Chickenpox (varicella)
- Chronic neuropathic pain
- Chronic pain syndrome
- Fibromyalgia
- Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis)
- Guillain-Barré syndrome
- Lyme disease
- Myasthenia gravis
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Polymyalgia rheumatica
- Rabies
- Restless legs syndrome
- Shingles (herpes zoster)
- Shoulder dislocation
- Tetanus
- Thoracic outlet syndrome
- Vitamin B1, C and other deficiencies