Which muscle is likely affected if the superior angle of the scapula is tender?

When the superior angle of the scapula is tender, the muscle most likely affected is the levator scapulae. This muscle is located at the back and side of the neck and is responsible for elevating the scapula. It originates from the first four cervical vertebrae and inserts at the superior angle of the scapula.

Tenderness in this area is often a direct result of tightness, tension, or strain in the levator scapulae, which can occur due to poor posture, repetitive lifting, or stress that tightens the neck and upper back muscles. Because of its anatomical position, issues with the levator scapulae frequently manifest as discomfort at the superior angle of the scapula.

Understanding the relationship between the levator scapulae and the anatomy of the scapula helps clarify why tenderness in that specific area points to this muscle. Other muscles, such as the trapezius or rhomboids, may have their own reference points of tenderness, but their attachment sites do not correlate directly with the superior angle in the same way the levator scapulae does.