Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Part III – Muscles of the Head and Neck
General Principles
The less movable end of a muscle attachment is the origin
The more movable end is the insertion
An agonist causes a certain movement
An antagonist acts in opposition to the agonist
Synergists are muscles that function together to produce
movement
Prime movers are mainly responsible for a movement
o Fixators stabilize the action of prime movers
Naming Muscles
Location Shape
o Pectoralis (chest) o Deltoid (triangular)
o Gluteus (buttock) o Quadratus (quadrate ‐ rectangular)
o Brachial (arm) o Teres (round)
Size Orientation of fasciculi
o Maximus (large) o Rectus (straight)
o Minimus (small) o Oblique (at an angle)
o Major (larger of two muscles) Number of heads
o Minor (smaller of two muscles) o Biceps (two)
o Longus (long) o Triceps (three)
o Brevis (short) Function
Origin and insertion o Abductor (away form midline)
o Adductor (towards midline)
o Masseter (a chewer)
Head and Neck Muscles
Involved in
o Facial expression
o Mastication (chewing)
o Movement of the tongue
o Movement of the head and neck
Facial Expression
Cutaneous muscles
Origins of facial muscles are on skull bones or fascia
Insertions are into the skin, causing movement of the facial skin, lips, and eyelids
Animals have cutaneous muscles all over the trunk that allow skin to twitch
Humans have cutaneous muscles primarily on the face and neck
Facial Expression
Epicranius (occipitofrontalis)
o Bipartite muscle consisting of the
Frontalis
Occipitalis
Galea aponeurotica—cranial aponeurosis connecting above muscles
o The two muscles have alternate actions of pulling the scalp forward and backward
Obicularis Oculii – closes eyelids
Obicularis Oris – closes lips
Buccinators – retracts angles of mouth and flattens cheeks
Zygomaticus (major & minor) – elevates and abducts upper lip – smiling
Depressor labii inferioris – depresses lower lip ‐ frowning
Mastication
Mainly deal with the movement of the mandible
o Temporalis and masseter muscles elevate the mandible
o Gravity generally opens the jaw
o Digastric muscle depresses the mandible
o Pterygoid muscles move the mandible from side to side
Movement of Head and Neck
Neck muscles cause flexion, extension, rotation, and lateral flexion of the head and neck
Head extension is accomplished by the splenius capitis and trapezius muscles
Major head flexor is the sternocleidomastoid
Lateral head movements are accomplished by the sternocleidomastoid and scalene muscles
Platysma – Depresses lower lip, wrinkles skin of neck and upper neck
Part IV ‐ Muscles of the Trunk
Muscles of Trunk ‐ Posterior
These muscles extend, laterally flex, and rotate the
vertebral column. They also hold the vertebral
column erect
A superficial group of muscles, the Erector spinae,
runs from the pelvis to the skull, extending from
the vertebrae to the ribs
o Consist of three subgroups on each side of
the vertebrae: Iliocostalis, Longissimus,
and Spinalis
o Lateral bending of the back is accomplished
by unilateral contraction of these muscles
Muscles of Trunk ‐ Abdominals
The abdominal wall is composed of four paired
muscles
o Internal and External obliques
o Transversus abdominis
o Rectus abdominis
o Their fasciae, and their aponeuroses
Fascicles of these muscles run at right and oblique
angles to one another
o Gives the abdominal wall added strength
In addition to forming the abdominal wall, these muscles:
o Are involved with lateral flexion and rotation of the trunk
o Aid in functions such as forced expirations (coughing and screaming), vomiting, defecation, urination, and
childbirth
Thoracic Muscles
Mainly involved in the process of breathing
Diaphragm: most important muscle in respiration
External intercostals: more superficial layer that lifts the rib cage and increases thoracic volume to allow inspiration
Internal intercostals: deeper layer that aids in forced expiration
Scalenes – elevate the first and second ribs