Which muscle is at the top of the back and rotates the shoulders backwards?

Which muscle is at the top of the back and rotates the shoulders backwards?

• A. Latissimus dorsi
• B. Abdominals
• C. Gluteals
• D. Trapezius

Answer: (D)

The movement described—rotating the shoulders backward—comes from retracting the shoulder blades. The muscle across the upper back is the trapezius. Its middle fibers pull the shoulder blades toward the spine, which brings the shoulders back and helps rotate the scapula in that backward direction. The upper part helps lift the shoulders, and the lower part aids in other scapular rotations, but the retraction action is the key here. The other options aren’t in the upper back or don’t move the shoulder blades in this way: the latissimus dorsi is a large back muscle mainly acting on the arm, while the abdominals and gluteals are in the abdomen and buttocks, not involved in moving the shoulders.

The movement described—rotating the shoulders backward—comes from retracting the shoulder blades. The muscle across the upper back is the trapezius. Its middle fibers pull the shoulder blades toward the spine, which brings the shoulders back and helps rotate the scapula in that backward direction. The upper part helps lift the shoulders, and the lower part aids in other scapular rotations, but the retraction action is the key here. The other options aren’t in the upper back or don’t move the shoulder blades in this way: the latissimus dorsi is a large back muscle mainly acting on the arm, while the abdominals and gluteals are in the abdomen and buttocks, not involved in moving the shoulders.