Muscle Anatomy: Face, Neck, Abdomen, Thorax, and Back

A set of vocabulary flashcards detailing the anatomical locations, physiological actions, and mnemonic tips for muscles of the face, neck, thorax, abdomen, and back.

frontalis

A muscle located on the frontal bone that elevates the eyebrows and wrinkles the forehead.

occipitalis

A muscle located on the occipital bone that performs head extension (pulls the head back), elevates the eyebrows, and wrinkles the forehead.

orbicularis oculi

A circular muscle around the eye orbit that closes the eyes.

orbicularis oris

A circular muscle around the mouth that closes and puckers the lips.

buccinator

A cheek muscle that assists in chewing and maintains tension in the cheek to prevent sagging.

zygomaticus minor

A thinner facial muscle connecting the lips to the zygomatic bone that elevates the upper lip to smile.

zygomaticus major

A thicker facial muscle connecting the lips to the zygomatic bone that elevates the upper lip to smile.

platysma

A wide, flat sheet-like muscle in the neck that depresses the lower lip to frown.

masseter

A primary muscle of mastication that functions in chewing.

temporalis

A muscle located on the temporal bone that functions in chewing.

digastric

A two-part muscle connecting to the mastoid process and chin that causes depression of the mandible to open the jaw and elevation of the hyoid bone during swallowing.

mylohyoid

A muscle connecting to the hyoid bone that depresses the mandible to open the jaw and elevates the hyoid bone during swallowing.

sternohyoid

A neck muscle connecting the hyoid bone to the sternum that causes depression of the hyoid bone during swallowing and neck flexion (bringing the chin to the chest).

sternocleidomastoid

A large neck muscle responsible for neck flexion (bringing chin to chest), lateral flexion of the neck (bending the neck to the side), and rotation of the head.

scalene muscles (anterior, middle, posterior)

A three-part triangular muscle group in the neck that performs neck flexion, lateral flexion of the neck, and elevation of the ribs for breathing.

external oblique

Superficial lateral abdominal muscles that perform trunk flexion (forward bending), trunk lateral flexion (side bending), and trunk rotation.

internal oblique

Deeper lateral abdominal muscles that perform trunk flexion (forward bending), trunk lateral flexion (side bending), trunk rotation, and tilting of the pelvis.

transversus abdominus

A deep muscle traversing the abdomen that contracts to provide support for the spine and pelvis, rotates the abdomen from side to side, and tilts the pelvis.

rectus abdominus

A straight vertical muscle of the anterior abdomen that performs flexion of the spine (bending at the lumbar vertebrae) and tilting of the pelvis.

pectoralis major

A large superficial chest muscle that performs arm adduction (bringing the arm toward the body), inward arm rotation, and stabilization of the shoulder joint.

pectoralis minor

A smaller muscle located beneath the pectoralis major that causes scapula protraction (pulling shoulder forward to reach) and scapula depression to maintain proper posture.

serratus anterior

A saw-toothed muscle along the ribs that performs scapula protraction, upward rotation of the scapula (reaching overhead), and elevation of the ribs for breathing.

diaphragm

A parachute-shaped muscle that expands the chest cavity to facilitate breathing.

external intercostals

Superficial muscles located between the ribs that elevate the ribs during breathing.

internal intercostals

Deeper muscles located between the ribs that depress the ribs during breathing.

trapezius

A large four-sided trapezoid-shaped muscle of the upper back that elevates, retracts (pulls shoulder blades together), and depresses the scapula.

deltoid

A delta-shaped shoulder muscle that performs arm abduction (raising arm away from the body), arm flexion (flexing forward), and arm extension (extending backward).

latissimus dorsi

A broad muscle on the dorsal surface of the back that causes adduction, backward extension, and inward rotation of the humerus.

supraspinatus

A muscle located above the spine of the scapula that causes abduction of the humerus and outward rotation of the humerus.

infraspinatus

A muscle located below the spine of the scapula that causes external rotation of the arm (rotates the arm outward).

subscapularis

A rotator cuff muscle located on the anterior surface of the scapula that performs inward rotation and adduction of the humerus.

rhomboid major and minor

Rhombus-shaped muscles of the upper back that retract the scapula (pulling shoulder blade toward the spine) and elevate the scapula during shoulder shrugging.

teres major

A shoulder muscle that performs arm adduction, backward extension, and inward rotation of the arm.

teres minor

A shoulder muscle located superior to teres major that performs adduction of the arm toward the body.

splenius capitis

A posterior neck muscle connecting to the head that controls neck extension, lateral neck flexion, and head rotation from side to side.

levator scapulae

A posterolateral neck muscle that functions to elevate the scapula.