Splenius cervicis muscle

Splenius cervicis muscle

Muscles connecting the upper extremity to the vertebral column. (Splenius capitis et cervicis labeled at upper right, at neck.)
Details
Latin Musculus splenius cervicis
Spinous processes of T3-T6
Transverse processes of C1-C3
Transverse cervical artery and occipital artery
Posterior rami of the lower Cervical spinal nerves
Actions Bilaterally: Extend the head & neck, Unilaterally: Lateral flexion to the same side, Rotation to the same side.
Identifiers
Gray's p.397
Dorlands
/Elsevier		 m_22/12550921
TA A04.3.02.104
FMA 22681
Anatomical terms of muscle

The splenius cervicis (/ˈspliːni.əs sərˈvaɪsɨs/) (also known as the splenius colli, /ˈspliːni.əs ˈkɒlaɪ/) is a muscle in the back of the neck. It arises by a narrow tendinous band from the spinous processes of the third to the sixth thoracic vertebrae; it is inserted, by tendinous fasciculi, into the posterior tubercles of the transverse processes of the upper two or three cervical vertebrae.

Its name is based on the Greek word σπληνίον, splenion (meaning a bandage) and the Latin word cervix (meaning a neck).[1] The word collum also refers to the neck in Latin.[1]

The function of the splenius cervicis muscle is extension of the cervical spine, rotation to the ipsilateral side and lateral flexion to the ipsilateral side.[2]

Additional images

References

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

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Dr. M. A. (Toby) Arnold; Deborah Bryce. "Arnold's Glossary of Anatomy". The University of Sydney.
  2. ↑ R.T. Floyd, Manual of Structural Kinesiology, 2012, 18th Ed.

External links

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