Obliquus capitis superior muscle

Template:Short description Template:Infobox muscle The obliquus capitis superior muscle (Template:IPAc-en) is a smallTemplate:Citation needed muscle in the upper back part of the neck. It is one of the suboccipital muscles. It attaches inferiorly at the transverse process of the atlas (first cervical vertebra); it attaches superiorly at the external surface of the occipital bone. The muscle is innervated by the suboccipital nerve (the posterior ramus of the first cervical spinal nerve).

It acts at the atlanto-occipital jointTemplate:Citation needed to extend the head and bend the head to the same side.

Anatomy

The obliquus capitis superior muscle is one of the suboccipital muscles. It forms the superolateral boundary of the suboccipital triangle. It extends superoposteriorly from its inferior attachment to its superior attachment, becoming wider superiorly.<ref name=":224">Template:Cite book</ref>

Attachments

The muscle's inferior attachment is at the superior surface of the transverse process of the atlas (C1).<ref name=":224" /><ref name=":022">Template:Cite book</ref>

Its superior attachment is onto the lateral portion of<ref name=":022" /> the external surface of the occipital bone between the superior nuchal line and inferior nuchal line.<ref name=":224" /><ref name=":022" /> Its superior attachment is situated lateral to that of the semispinalis capitis muscle, and overlaps the attachment of the rectus capitis posterior major muscle.<ref name=":224" />

Innervation

The muscle receives motor innervation from the suboccipital nerve (i.e. the posterior ramus of the cervical spinal nerve 1 (C1)).<ref name=":224" /><ref name=":022" />

Actions/movements

The muscle extends<ref name=":224" /> and (ipsilaterally) laterally flexes the head.<ref name=":224" /><ref name=":022" />

Additional images

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  Position of obliquus capitis superior (shown in red). Animation.
• 
  Still image. Posterior view.
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  Deep muscles of the back (obliquus capitis superior labeled at upper left)
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  Occipital bone. Outer surface. Muscle attachments are shown as red circles.
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  Base of skull. Inferior surface. Muscle attachments are shown as red circles.

External links

• Template:SUNYAnatomyFigs