Which nerve innervates the rhomboid major?

The rhomboid major muscle is primarily innervated by the dorsal scapular nerve, which arises from the roots of the brachial plexus. This specific nerve is responsible for providing motor innervation to the rhomboid major, allowing it to perform its function of retracting the scapula and stabilizing it against the thoracic wall. Understanding the role of the dorsal scapular nerve is crucial, as it not only innervates the rhomboid major but also supplies the rhomboid minor and the levator scapulae, which are involved in similar movements of the scapula.

In contrast, the other nerves listed are associated with different muscle groups. The long thoracic nerve innervates the serratus anterior muscle, which plays a significant role in scapular protraction and stabilizing the scapula. The medial pectoral nerve mainly innervates the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor, which are chest muscles not directly involved with the actions of the rhomboids. The subscapular nerve provides innervation to the subscapularis and teres major muscles, which are located in the shoulder area and are involved in shoulder movement rather than scapular retraction. Thus, the specific