| Splenius cervicis muscle | |
|---|---|
 Muscles connecting the upper extremity to the vertebral column. (Splenius capitis et cervicis labeled at upper right, at neck.) | |
| Details | |
| Origin | Spinous processes of T3-T6 |
| Insertion | Transverse processes of C1-C3 |
| Artery | Transverse cervical artery and occipital artery |
| Nerve | Posterior rami of the lower Cervical spinal nerves |
| Actions | Bilaterally: Extend the head and neck, Unilaterally: Lateral flexion to the same side, Rotation to the same side. |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | musculus splenius cervicis |
| TA98 | A04.3.02.104 |
| TA2 | 2274 |
| FMA | 22681 |
| Anatomical terms of muscle | |
The splenius cervicis (/ˈspliːniəs sərˈvaɪsɪs/) (also known as the splenius colli, /- 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]
- ^ a b Arnold, MA; Bryce, Deborah. "Arnold's Glossary of Anatomy". The University of Sydney.
- ^ R.T. Floyd, Manual of Structural Kinesiology, 2012, 18th Ed.