Short neck and head joint muscles
The short neck musculature (lat. Mm. suboccipitales) belongs to the autochronic back musculature and lies to the right and left of the vertebral bodies of the spinal column.
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Anatomy
The short neck muscles (Mm. suboccipitales) belong to the autochthonous back muscles because they are innervated by the R. dorsalis of the first spinal nerve (C1). It consists of the following muscles: Mm. recti capitis posterior, major and minor as well as Mm. obliquii capitis superior and inferior.
| 1) M. rectus capitis posterior minor | 2) M. rectus capitis posterior major | |
| origin | spinous process rudiment (tuberculum posterius) of the atlas (1st cervical vertebra) | spinous process (proc. spinosus) of the axis (2nd cervical vertebra) |
| insertion | Linea nuchea inferior of the Os occipitale | Linea nuchea inferior of the Os occipitale |
| function | In case of one-sided contraction a slight inclination and rotation of the head to the ipsilateral side occurs, in case of bilateral activation a dorsal extension. | In the case of one-sided contraction, the head is tilted and rotated towards the ipsilateral side, and in the case of bilateral contraction, a dorsal extension occurs. |
| 3) M. obliquus capitis posterior superior | 4) M. obliquus capitis posterior inferior | |
| origin | transverse process of the atlas | spinous process of the axis |
| insertion | lateral third of the Linea nuchea inferior on the Os occipitale | transverse process of the atlas |
| function | In the case of one-sided contraction, the head is inclined towards the ipsilateral side and rotated towards the contralateral side; in the case of bilateral activation, a dorsal extension occurs. | In the case of one-sided contraction, the head rotates to the ipsilateral side; in the case of bilateral activation, a dorsal extension occurs. |
Function
Through the short neck muscles, the vertebral bodies are held, moved and stabilized. The following movements can be performed by this muscle group:
- tilting the head forward
- placing the head in the neck
- lateral movements of the head
For the rotational movement and reclination of the head, the short neck muscles work together in a complex manner. Thereby the M. rectus capitis posterior major, the M. obliquus capitis superior and the M. obliquus capitis inferior form the anatomical triangle (Trigonum a. vertebralis). The vertebral artery runs in the region of this anatomical triangle.
