Longus colli muscle

Longus colli muscle
The anterior vertebral muscles. (Longus colli labeled vertically at center left and center right.)
Latin musculus longus colli
Gray's subject #113 394
Origin Transverse processes of C-5 to T-3
Insertion    Anterior arch of the atlas
Artery Ascending Pharyngeal and Vertebral Arteries
Nerve C2-C6
Actions Flexes the neck and head

The Longus colli muscle is a muscle of the human body.

The Longus colli is situated on the anterior surface of the vertebral column, between the atlas and the third thoracic vertebra.

It is broad in the middle, narrow and pointed at either end, and consists of three portions, a superior oblique, an inferior oblique, and a vertical.

Clinical significance

It is commonly injured in rear end whiplash injuries, usually resulting from a car crash.

This muscle is in front of the spine and is thought by some scientists that it may cause some whiplash patients to have an unnatural lack of curvature in the patients' neck.

External links

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.