Final answer:
The rotator cuff muscles are the subscapularis, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and teres minor, which stabilize and move the shoulder joint. They maintain the head of the humerus in the glenoid cavity and provide structural support. Injuries to these muscles, common in athletes like baseball pitchers, often require surgical intervention.
Step-by-step explanation:
The rotator cuff muscles include the subscapularis, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and teres minor. These muscles play a crucial role in stabilizing the shoulder joint and enabling a range of movements. The subscapularis muscle helps in the medial rotation of the arm, while the supraspinatus is involved in abducting the arm.
The infraspinatus and teres minor both contribute to lateral rotation of the arm. Together, the rotator cuff muscles keep the head of the humerus firmly placed within the glenoid cavity, functioning as dynamic ligaments to provide the primary structural support for the shoulder joint.
Repeated movements, such as those commonly performed by baseball pitchers, can lead to rotator cuff injuries, including pinching, inflammation, or tearing of the tendons.
These injuries sometimes require shoulder surgery for repair. It is the stability and mobility provided by the rotator cuff that makes it significant to shoulder function and why injuries to these muscles can be so debilitating.