The Muscles

of the Neck
Lectured by Bien Nillos, MD
Reference: Gray’s Anatomy
The Neck
 That which
connects the head
to the rest of the
body (thorax)
 7 Vertebrae
 Muscles
 Great Vessels and
Nerves
 Upper Respiratory
tract
 Throat
Muscles of the Neck
 Sternocleidomastoid
 passes obliquely across the side of the neck. It
is thick and narrow at its central part, but
broader and thinner at either end.
 Origin: sternal head: anterior surface of the
manubrium; clavicular head: medial 1/3rd of
the clavicle
 Insertion: mastoid process and lateral 1/2 of
the superior nuchal line
 Digastric
 consists of two fleshy bellies united by an
intermediate rounded tendon. It lies below the body
of the mandible, and extends, in a curved form, from
the mastoid process to the symphysis menti.
 Origin: anterior belly: digastric fossa of the mandible;
posterior belly: mastoid notch of the temporal bone
 Insertion: body of the hyoid via a fibrous loop over
an intermediate tendon
 Stylohyoid
 a slender muscle, lying in front of, and above
the posterior belly of the Digastricus
 Origin: posterior side of the styloid process

 Insertion: splits around the intermediate

tendon of the digastric m. to insert on the body
of the hyoid bone
 Omohyoid
 consists of two fleshy bellies united by a
central tendon.
 Origin: inferior belly: upper border of the
scapula medial to the scapular notch; superior
belly: intermediate tendon
 Insertion: inferior belly: intermediate tendon;
superior belly: lower border of the hyoid bone
lateral to the sternohyoid insertion
 Triangles of the Neck
 The side of the neck presents a somewhat quadrilateral outline
limited, above, by the lower border of the body of the
mandible, and an imaginary line extending from the angle of
the mandible to the mastoid process;
 below, by the upper border of the clavicle; in front, by the
middle line of the neck; behind, by the anterior margin of the
Trapezius.
 This space is subdivided into two large triangles by the
Sternocleidomastoideus, which passes obliquely across the
neck, from the sternum and clavicle below, to the mastoid
process and occipital bone above.
 The triangular space in front of this muscle is called the
anterior triangle; and that behind it, the posterior triangle.
 Anterior Triangle
 The anterior triangle is bounded, in front, by the
middle line of the neck; behind, by the anterior margin
of the Sternocleidomastoideus; its base, directed
upward, is formed by the lower border of the body of
the mandible, and a line extending from the angle of
the mandible to the mastoid process; its apex is below,
at the sternum. This space is subdivided into four
smaller triangles by the Digastricus above, and the
superior belly of the Omohyoideus below. These
smaller triangles are named the inferior carotid, the
superior carotid, the submaxillary, and the suprahyoid.
 Inferior Carotid, or Muscular Triangle, is
bounded, in front, by the median line of the
neck from the hyoid bone to the sternum;
behind, by the anterior margin of the
Sternocleidomastoideus; above, by the
superior belly of the Omohyoideus
 The Superior Carotid, or Carotid Triangle,
is bounded, behind by the
Sternocleidomastoideus; below, by the
superior belly of the Omohyoideus; and above,
by the Stylohyoideus and the posterior belly of
the Digastricus
 The Submaxillary or Digastric Triangle
corresponds to the region of the neck
immediately beneath the body of the mandible.
It is bounded, above, by the lower border of
the body of the mandible, and a line drawn
from its angle to the mastoid process; below,
by the posterior belly of the Digastricus and
the Stylohyoideus; in front, by the anterior
belly of the Digastricus.
 The Suprahyoid Triangle is limited behind
by the anterior belly of the Digastricus, in
front by the middle line of the neck between
the mandible and the hyoid bone; below, by
the body of the hyoid bone; its floor is formed
by the Mylohyoideus. It contains one or two
lymph glands and some small veins; the latter
unite to form the anterior jugular vein.
 Posterior Triangle
 The posterior triangle is bounded, in front, by
the Sternocleidomastoideus; behind, by the
anterior margin of the Trapezius; its base is
formed by the middle third of the clavicle; its
apex, by the occipital bone. The space is
crossed, about 2.5 cm. above the clavicle, by
the inferior belly of the Omohyoideus, which
divides it into two triangles, an upper or
occipital, and a lower or subclavian.
 The Occipital Triangle, the larger division of
the posterior triangle, is bounded, in front, by
the Sternocleidomastoideus; behind, by the
Trapezius; below, by the Omohyoideus. Its
floor is formed from above downward by the
Splenius capitis, Levator scapulæ, and the
Scaleni medius and posterior.
 The Subclavian Triangle, the smaller division
of the posterior triangle, is bounded, above, by
the inferior belly of the Omohyoideus; below,
by the clavicle; its base is formed by the
posterior border of the
Sternocleidomastoideus. Its floor is formed by
the first rib with the first digitation of the
Serratus anterior.
 END
“Behold the turtle.
He makes progress
only when he sticks
his neck out.”
James Bryant Conant