Serratus posterior superior muscle

Serratus posterior superior muscle
Thin film-like object, at center, is serratus posterior superior muscle.
Details
Latin	Musculus serratus posterior superior
Origin	Nuchal ligament (or ligamentum nuchae) and the spinous processes of the vertebrae C7 through T3
Insertion	The upper borders of the 2nd through 5th ribs
Artery	Intercostal arteries
Nerve	2nd through 5th intercostal nerves
Actions	Elevates the ribs which aids in inspiration
Identifiers
Gray's	p.404
TA	A04.3.01.011
FMA	13401
Anatomical terms of muscle

The serratus posterior superior is a thin, quadrilateral muscle, situated at the upper and back part of the thorax, deep to the rhomboid muscles.

It arises by a thin and broad aponeurosis from the lower part of the ligamentum nuchae, from the spinous processes of the seventh cervical and upper two or three thoracic vertebrae and from the supraspinal ligament.

Inclining downward and lateralward it becomes muscular, and is inserted, by four fleshy digitations, into the upper borders of the second, third, fourth, and fifth ribs, a little beyond their angles.

The function of serratus posterior superior is to elevate second to fifth ribs, which aids deep inspiration.

Additional images

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  Position of serratus posterior superior muscle (shown in red).

• 

  Serratus posterior superior muscles are labeled at center left and center right.

See also

• Serratus anterior muscle
• Serratus posterior inferior muscle

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

• Clinically Oriented Anatomy, 4th ed. Keith L. Moore and Arthur F. Dalley.
• Board Review Series: Gross Anatomy, 4th ed. Kyung Won Chung.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Serratus posterior superior muscles.

• ‹The template EMedicineDictionary is being considered for deletion.› Serratus+posterior+superior at eMedicine Dictionary
• Anatomy figure: 01:05-02 at Human Anatomy Online, SUNY Downstate Medical Center - "Intermediate layer of the extrinsic muscles of the back, deep muscles."