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The pectoral is a term relating to the chest. The "pectoralis
major" is a large, fan-shaped muscle that covers much of the front
upper chest. It begins at the breastbone (sternum) and the cartilage of
the second to the sixth ribs and is attached to the collarbone
(clavicle) to converge on the upper arm bone (humerus) just below the
shoulder. Its main use is in moving the arm across the body. The "pectoralis
minor" is a smaller, triangular muscle beneath the pectoralis
major. It stems from the third to fifth ribs and converges at the
shoulder blade (scapula), which it moves up and down.
The upper, or clavicular, portion of the pectoralis major raises the
arm, while the lower, or sternocostal, is responsible for pulling the
arm down.
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