Supriya Ghosh (Editor)

Suboccipital muscles

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Latin
  
Musculi suboccipitales

FMA
  
71439

TA
  
A04.2.02.001

Suboccipital muscles

The suboccipital muscles are a group of muscles defined by their location to the occiput. Suboccipital muscles are located below the occipital bone. These are four paired muscles on the underside of the occipital bone; the two straight muscles (rectus) and the two oblique muscles (obliquus).

The muscles are named

  • Rectus capitis posterior major goes from the spinous process of the axis (C2) to the occipital bone.
  • Rectus capitis posterior minor goes from the middle of the posterior arch of the atlas to the occipit.
  • Obliquus capitis superior goes from the transverse process of the atlas to the occiput.
  • Obliquus capitis inferior goes from the spine of the axis vertebra to the transverse process of the atlas.

    • They are innervated by the suboccipital nerve.

    References

    Suboccipital muscles Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA