What is the Suboccipital muscle?

The suboccipital muscles are a group of four muscles that are located inferior to the occipital bone. These four muscles include the rectus capitis posterior major, rectus capitis posterior minor, obliquus capitis superior, and obliquus capitis inferior.

What is the action of the suboccipital muscles?

The superior oblique goes from the transverse process of the atlas, to here on the occiput. The action of the suboccipital muscles is to extend the head, and to rotate it toward the same side.

What are the muscles of the suboccipital group?

Suboccipital muscles

• Rectus capitis posterior major.
• Rectus capitis posterior minor.
• Obliquus capitis inferior.
• Obliquus capitis superior.

What muscles does the Suboccipital nerve innervate?

The suboccipital nerve innervates the following suboccipital muscles:

• The rectus capitis posterior minor muscle.
• The rectus capitis posterior major muscle (the superomedial border of the suboccipital triangle)
• The obliquus capitis superior (the superolateral border of the suboccipital triangle)

What is the significance of the Suboccipital triangle?

Contents of the suboccipital triangle The purpose of these muscles is to provide fine motor function in movements of the head. The actions of trapezius, sternocleidomastoid and other larger muscles that move the head are refined by the relatively small suboccipital triangle muscles.

What are suboccipital nerves?

The suboccipital nerve (first cervical dorsal ramus) is the dorsal primary ramus of the first cervical nerve (C1). It exits the spinal cord between the skull and the first cervical vertebra, the atlas. It lies within the suboccipital triangle along with the vertebral artery, where the artery enters the foramen magnum.

What type of nerve is the suboccipital nerve?

The C1 spinal nerve is formed almost entirely from a ventral root, and it is primarily a motor nerve. It actually emerges between the occiput and the arch of the atlas as the suboccipital nerve, and it is not directly blocked during cervical plexus block.

What is suboccipital triangle?

The suboccipital triangle is a region of the neck bounded by the following three muscles of the suboccipital group of muscles: Rectus capitis posterior major – above and medially. Obliquus capitis superior – above and laterally. Obliquus capitis inferior – below and laterally.

Where are the suboccipital muscles located?

The Suboccipital Muscles. The suboccipital muscles are a group of four muscles situated underneath the occipital bone. All the muscles in this group are innervated by the suboccipital nerve. They are located within the suboccipital compartment of the neck; deep to the sternocleidomastoid, trapezius, splenius and semispinalis muscles.

What is the suboccipital group?

Group of muscles located immediately below the occipital bone; include rectus capitis anterior muscle, rectus capitis posterior major and minor muscles, rectus capitis lateralis muscle, obliquus capitis superior and inferior muscles; innervated by suboccipital nerve. Synonym (s): musculi suboccipitales. Want to thank TFD for its existence?

What is the inferior suboccipital nerve?

Innervation : Suboccipital nerve (posterior ramus of C1). As its name suggests, the obliquus capitis inferior is the most inferiorly positioned of the suboccipital muscles. Additionally, it is the only capitis muscle that has no attachment to the cranium.

Where is the suboccipital triangle located?

5 Suboccipital Triangle. The suboccipital muscles are a group of four muscles situated underneath the occipital bone. All the muscles in this group are innervated by the suboccipital nerve. They are located within the suboccipital compartment of the neck; deep to the sternocleidomastoid, trapezius, splenius and semispinalis muscles.