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Muscles of the Neck and Vertebral Column

Sternocleidomastoid

This is the muscle you could feel and see it pop out when you look to the side.  The function is to create flection of the neck (neck forward) when it contracts when they act together.  When only one side acts as a time, it helps you rotate your head to face the opposite side and laterally flex the head to the same side (it’s an oblique movement that is occurring).  The origin is the manubrium and the the medial 1/3 of the clavicle.  This inserts into the mastoid process.

Scalenes

These are very closely related to the SCM and very difficult to get to.  They are usually the ones that get cramped up over night.  They help pull on the cervical vertebrae instead of the head to create flexion of the neck and rotate.

When the scalenes contract they help elevate the top two ribs.  When you’re at the extreme end of your breathing, especially during exercise, these help give you more volume by raising the ribs.   and also play a role in flexion of the neck and rotating it.  The origin of the scales are the transverse process of the cervical vertebrae and it inserts into the first and second ribs.

Splenius muscles

These are found in the back of the neck. These are what you feel get tired when you sit close to the screen at a movie theater.  When both the splenius muscles act together, they are what extend the head (bring it head back).  When one side acts at a time, it helps rotate the head to the same side and or laterally flex the head to the same side.

They origin runs from the nuchal ridges of the occipital bone all the way to C7.  All of these bundles collect to insert into the mastoid process. (The SCM also inserts into the mastoid process).

Erector Spinae: (lateral to medial: iliocostalis, longissimus, spinalis)

These are 3 separate, long columns of muscles on either side of the vertebral column that extend the back and help return the trunk to an upright position.

The iliocostalis runs from the iliac crest to the ribs.

The longissimus runs medial to the iliocostalis.  It runs from the spinous processes of the lumbar vertebrae to the ribs.  The muscle belly near the lumbar is called the iliocostalis lumborum.

The spinalis runs medial to longissimus.  It runs from one spinous process to the one above it on the lumbar and thoracic vertebrae.

They are literally what help straighten your back up.

Use this Table of Contents to go to the next article

Painting by Michael Reedy
The Basics. Start here. This is your Foundation.
  • Intro to human anatomy
  • The building blocks of cells

Epithelial and Connective Tissue

  • Basics of Epithelial Tissue
  • Eight types of Epithelial Tissue
  • Detailed Features of Epithelia
  • Connective Tissue Basics
  • Three Types of Membrane

Skin, Hair, Nails, Sweat Glands

  • Integumentary System Part 1
  • Integumentary System Part 2

The Skeletal System

  • Cartilage and Bones
  • Geography of the Skull
  • Special parts of the skull
  • The Vertebral Column
  • Thoracic Cage, Ribs, Fontanelles

YOU ARE HERE AT THE MUSCULAR SYSTEM

The Muscular System

  • Muscles of the Head
  • Muscles of the Neck and Vertebral Column
  • Muscles of the thorax for breathing and the pelvic floor (The Diaphragm)
  • Muscles of the Abdominal Wall
  • Muscles of the Forearm

The Central Nervous System

  • Fundamentals of the Nervous System and Nervous Tissue
  • CNS: Intro to Brain and Ventricles, Medulla Oblongata, Pons, Mid-Brain and Cerebellum
  • Central Nervous System: Spinal Cord
  • The Diencephalon
  • The Cerebral Hemispheres
  • Functional Areas of The Cerebral Cortex
  • Cerebral White Matter and Gray Matter and Basal Ganglia
  • The Limbic System and the Reticular Formation
  • Protection for the Brain: Meninges, CSF, Blood-Brain Barrier
  • Disorders of the Central Nervous System

The Peripheral Nervous System

  • Peripheral Nervous System: Cranial Nerves
  • Peripheral Nervous System: Spinal Nerves and Plexuses
  • Innervation of the skin: Dermatomes

The Autonomic Nervous System

  • The Autonomic Nervous System (Includes sympathetic and parasymphathetic systems)
  • Visceral Sensory Neurons and Referred Pain

Special Senses

  • Chemical Sense: Taste (Gustation)
  • Chemical Sense: Smell (Olfaction)
  • The Eye and Vision

The Cardiovascular System

  • Intro to the Heart
  • Blood Flow of the Heart (Circulation Flow)
  • Myocardium
  • Conducting System of the Heart (Nervous Impulse Flow)
  • The Four Corners of the Heart
  • Layers of the Pericardium, Heart Wall and Spiral Arrangement
  • Function of the Atrioventricular and Semilunar Valves
  • Blood Components, Hemoglobin, Type/Rh Factor, Agglutination
  • Blood Vessels

Specialized Systems

  • The Endocrine System (Pituitary, Thyroid, Pancreas, Adrenal, Gonads, etc)
  • The Lymphatic System (Spleen, Thymus, Lymphatic vessels, nodes etc)
  • The Respiratory System (Lungs, Alveoli, Bronchi, Trachea, Larynx, Nasal cavities, etc)
  • The Immune System
  • The Urinary System: Kidneys
  • The Urinary System: Ureter and Urinary Bladder

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