Suboccipital muscle group
Last revised by Leon Chau
on 4 Mar 2022
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Yee J, Chau L, Bell D, et al. Suboccipital muscle group. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 11 Dec 2024) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-45126
Permalink:
rID:
45126
Article created:
15 May 2016,
Juliana K. Yee
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Juliana K. Yee had no recorded disclosures.
View Juliana K. Yee's current disclosures
Last revised:
4 Mar 2022,
Leon Chau
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Leon Chau had no recorded disclosures.
View Leon Chau's current disclosures
Revisions:
8 times, by
6 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Sections:
Tags:
Synonyms:
- Rectus capitis posterior major muscle
- Obliquus capitis superior muscle
- Obliquus capitis inferior muscle
- Rectus capitis posterior minor muscle
- Rectus capitis posterior minor muscles
- Obliquus capitis inferior muscles
- Obliquus capitis superior muscles
- Rectus capitis posterior major muscles
The suboccipital muscle group contains four paired muscles, three of which pairs belong to the suboccipital triangle. These muscles all lie below the occipital bone and are responsible for postural support of the head, as well as extension, lateral flexion and rotation. As these muscles are small and act in unison, they will be discussed in this single article, rather than individual articles.
On this page:
Gross anatomy
The suboccipital triangle is paired and consists of three muscles: rectus capitis posterior major, obliquus capitis superior, and obliquus capitis inferior. The function of the muscles in this triangle are to extend and rotate the head.
-
rectus capitis posterior major muscle
- superomedial boundary of the suboccipital triangle
- origin: outer surface of bifid spinous process of the axis
- insertion: inferior nuchal line of the occipital bone
- action: extend the head at the atlanto-occipital joint and ipsilaterally rotate the head at the atlantoaxial joint
-
obliquus capitis superior muscle
- superolateral boundary of the suboccipital triangle
- origin: upper surface of the transverse process of the atlas
- insertion: lateral half of the inferior nuchal line on the occipital bone
- action: lateral flexion of the head
-
obliquus capitis inferior muscle
- inferolateral boundary of the suboccipital triangle
- larger of the two obliquus muscles
- origin: outer surface of the bifid spinous process of the axis, below the rectus capitis posterior major
- insertion: transverse process of the atlas
- action: rotate the head on the atlantoaxial joint ipsilaterally
The floor is formed by the posterior arch of the atlas and the posterior atlantooccipital membrane. The roof is the semispinalis muscle, greater occipital nerve (C2), occipital artery. The triangle contains the vertebral artery and suboccipital nerve (C1).
The rectus capitis posterior minor is separate from the suboccipital triangle and lies deep to the rectus capitis posterior major.
-
rectus capitis posterior minor muscle
- origin: tubercle on the posterior arch of the atlas
- insertion: medial part of the inferior nuchal line of the occipital bone
- action: weak extender of the head
Arterial supply
- vertebral artery
- occipital artery: deep descending branches
Innervation
- suboccipital nerve: dorsal ramus of the first cervical spinal nerve
Related pathology
Whiplash injuries can cause muscle spasm and disruption between the normal agonist-antagonist relationship between the left and right suboccipital muscle groups 4.
References
- 1. Susan Standring. Gray's Anatomy. (2008) ISBN: 9780443066849 - Google Books
- 2. Chummy S. Sinnatamby. Last's Anatomy E-Book. (2011) ISBN: 9780702048395 - Google Books
- 3. Keith L. Moore, Arthur F. Dalley, A. M. R. Agur. Clinically Oriented Anatomy. (2013) ISBN: 9781451119459 - Google Books
- 4. Stephen M. Foreman, Arthur C. Croft. Whiplash Injuries. (2002) ISBN: 9780781726818 - Google Books
Incoming Links
Related articles: Anatomy: Head and neck
- skeleton of the head and neck
-
cranial vault
- scalp (mnemonic)
- fontanelle
-
sutures
- calvarial
- facial
- frontozygomatic suture
- frontomaxillary suture
- frontolacrimal suture
- frontonasal suture
- temporozygomatic suture
- zygomaticomaxillary suture
- parietotemporal suture (parietomastoid suture)
- occipitotemporal suture (occipitomastoid suture)
- sphenofrontal suture
- sphenozygomatic suture
- spheno-occipital suture (not a true suture)
- lacrimomaxillary suture
- nasomaxillary suture
- internasal suture
- basal/internal
- skull landmarks
- frontal bone
- temporal bone
- parietal bone
- occipital bone
- skull base (foramina)
-
facial bones
- midline single bones
- paired bilateral bones
- cervical spine
- hyoid bone
- laryngeal cartilages
-
cranial vault
- muscles of the head and neck
- muscles of the tongue (mnemonic)
- muscles of mastication
-
facial muscles
- epicranius muscle
- circumorbital and palpebral muscles
- nasal muscles
-
buccolabial muscles
- elevators, retractors and evertors of the upper lip
- levator labii superioris alaeque nasalis muscle
- levator labii superioris muscle
- zygomaticus major muscle
- zygomaticus minor muscle
- levator anguli oris muscle
- malaris muscle
- risorius muscle
- depressors, retractors and evertors of the lower lip
- depressor labii inferioris muscle
- depressor anguli oris muscle
- mentalis muscle
- compound sphincter
-
orbicularis oris muscle
- incisivus labii superioris muscle
- incisivus labii inferioris muscle
-
orbicularis oris muscle
- muscle of mastication
- modiolus
- elevators, retractors and evertors of the upper lip
- muscles of the middle ear
- orbital muscles
- muscles of the soft palate
- pharyngeal muscles
- suprahyoid muscles
- infrahyoid muscles
- intrinsic muscles of the larynx
- muscles of the neck
- platysma muscle
- longus colli muscle
- longus capitis muscle
- scalenus anterior muscle
- scalenus medius muscle
- scalenus posterior muscle
- scalenus pleuralis muscle
- sternocleidomastoid muscle
-
suboccipital muscles
- rectus capitis posterior major muscle
- rectus capitis posterior minor muscle
- obliquus capitis superior muscle
- obliquus capitis inferior muscle
- accessory muscles of the neck
- deep cervical fascia
-
deep spaces of the neck
- anterior cervical space
- buccal space
- carotid space
- danger space
- deep cervical fascia
- infratemporal fossa
- masticator space
- parapharyngeal space
- stylomandibular tunnel
- parotid space
- pharyngeal (superficial) mucosal space
- perivertebral space
- posterior cervical space
- pterygopalatine fossa
- retropharyngeal space
- suprasternal space (of Burns)
- visceral space
- surgical triangles of the neck
- orbit
- ear
- paranasal sinuses
- upper respiratory tract
- viscera of the neck
- blood supply of the head and neck
-
arterial supply
-
common carotid artery
- carotid body
- carotid bifurcation
- subclavian artery
- variants
-
common carotid artery
- venous drainage
-
arterial supply
- innervation of the head and neck
-
cranial nerves
- olfactory nerve (CN I)
- optic nerve (CN II)
- oculomotor nerve (CN III)
- trochlear nerve (CN IV)
-
trigeminal nerve (CN V) (mnemonic)
- trigeminal ganglion
- ophthalmic division
- maxillary division
- mandibular division
- abducens nerve (CN VI)
- facial nerve (CN VII)
-
vestibulocochlear nerve (CN VIII)
- vestibular ganglion (Scarpa's ganglion)
- glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX)
- vagus nerve (CN X)
- (spinal) accessory nerve (CN XI)
- hypoglossal nerve (CN XII)
- parasympathetic ganglia of the head and neck
- cervical sympathetic ganglia
- greater occipital nerve
- third occipital nerve
-
cervical plexus
- muscular branches
- longus capitis
- longus colli
- scalenes
- geniohyoid
- thyrohyoid
-
ansa cervicalis
- omohyoid (superior and inferior bellies separately)
- sternothyroid
- sternohyoid
- phrenic nerve
- contribution to the accessory nerve (CN XI)
- cutaneous branches
- muscular branches
- brachial plexus
- pharyngeal plexus
-
cranial nerves
- lymphatic drainage of the head and neck
- embryological development of the head and neck
Related articles: Anatomy: Spine
-
osteology
- vertebrae
- spinal canal
- cervical spine
- thoracic spine
- lumbar spine
- sacrum
- coccyx
-
anatomical variants
- vertebral body
- neural arch
- transitional vertebrae
- ossicles
- ossification centers
- intervertebral disc
- articulations
- ligaments
- musculature of the vertebral column
- muscles of the neck
- muscles of the back
-
suboccipital muscle group
- rectus capitis posterior major muscle
- rectus capitis posterior minor muscle
- obliquus capitis superior muscle
- obliquus capitis inferior muscle
- splenius capitis muscle
- splenius cervicis muscle
- erector spinae group
- transversospinalis group
- quadratus lumborum muscle
-
suboccipital muscle group
- spinal meninges and spaces
-
spinal cord
- gross anatomy
-
white matter tracts (white matter)
- corticospinal tract
- anterolateral columns
- lateral columns
-
dorsal columns
- fasiculus gracilis (column of Goll)
- fasiculus cuneatus (column of Burdach)
- grey matter
- nerve root
- central canal
- functional anatomy
- spinal cord blood supply
- sympathetic chain
Unable to process the form. Check for errors and try again.