Contents
Anatomy
Position
- Superficial
Origin
- Manubrium sterni
- Extremitas sternalis clavicula
Insertion
- Processus mastoideus
- Linea nuchae superior
Main function
- Neck
- Flexion
- Lateral flexion
- Contralateral rotation
Secondary function
- Neck
- Flexion
- Sternum
- Elevation
- Clavicula
- Elevation
Segmental nerve innervation
- C2-C3
Arterial supply
- Occipital artery
- Posterior auricular artery
Referred pain pattern
Muscle type
- Postural
- Shortens when stressed
Symptoms
- Tension headache
- Sore throat, dry cough
- Mimics facial neuralgia
- Tenderness of scalp
- Blurred vision/unable to see clearly
- Visual disturbances, excessive tearing of eye, difficulties raising eyelid
- Inflamed or congested sinuses
- Hearing loss
- Balance disturbances, including postural dizziness, vertigo, ataxia, sudden falls and nausea
Muscular attachments
Videos
Short version
Detailed version
Important functions
- An important postural muscle (during dysfunction it easily responds by becoming hypertonic)
Notes of clinical importance
- Jaw clenching affects the tension of levator scapula, sternocleidomastoideus, trapezius, and splenius capitis. These co-contractions are within 3-10% of maximum voluntary contraction. Study
Myofascial lines
Lateral line
- Splenius capitis / sternocleidomastoideus
- External and internal intercostals
- Lateral oblique
- Gluteus maximus
- Tensor fascia latae
- Iliotibial tract/abductors
- Anterior ligament of head of fibula
- Peroneal muscles
Superficial ventral line
- Scalp fascia
- Sternocleidomastoideus
- Sternalis/sternochondral fascia
- Rectus abdominis
- Quadriceps
- Subpatellar tendon
- Tibialis anterior, extensor digitorum longus, extensor hallucis longus
- Anterior crural compartment