The splenius cervicis () (also known as the splenius colli, ) is a muscle in the back of the neck. It arises by a narrow tendinous band from the
spinous processes
The spinal column, a defining synapomorphy shared by nearly all vertebrates,Hagfish are believed to have secondarily lost their spinal column is a moderately flexible series of vertebrae (singular vertebra), each constituting a characteristic ...
of the third to the sixth
thoracic vertebrae
In vertebrates, thoracic vertebrae compose the middle segment of the vertebral column, between the cervical vertebrae and the lumbar vertebrae. In humans, there are twelve thoracic vertebra (anatomy), vertebrae and they are intermediate in size b ...
; it is inserted, by tendinous
fasciculi
Fascicle or ''fasciculus'' may refer to:
Anatomy and histology
* Muscle fascicle, a bundle of skeletal muscle fibers
* Nerve fascicle, a bundle of axons (nerve fibers)
** Superior longitudinal fasciculus
*** Arcuate fasciculus
** Gracile fas ...
, into the
posterior tubercles of the
transverse processes
The spinal column, a defining synapomorphy shared by nearly all vertebrates,Hagfish are believed to have secondarily lost their spinal column is a moderately flexible series of vertebrae (singular vertebra), each constituting a characteristic i ...
of the upper two or three
cervical vertebrae
In tetrapods, cervical vertebrae (singular: vertebra) are the vertebrae of the neck, immediately below the skull. Truncal vertebrae (divided into thoracic and lumbar vertebrae in mammals) lie caudal (toward the tail) of cervical vertebrae. In ...
.
Its name is based on the Greek word σπληνίον, ''splenion'' (meaning a bandage) and the Latin word ''cervix'' (meaning a neck).
The word ''collum'' also refers to the neck in Latin.
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.
[R.T. Floyd, Manual of Structural Kinesiology, 2012, 18th Ed.]
Additional images
File:Splenius_cervicis_muscle_animation_small.gif, Position of splenius cervicis muscle (shown in red).
File:Splenius_cervicis_muscle_lateral.png, Lateral view.
File:Splenius_cervicis_muscle_back.png, Posterior view.
File:Gray385.png, Muscles of the neck. Lateral view.
File:Gray384.png, Section of the neck at the level of the sixth cervical vertebra.
References
External links
PTCentral
Muscles of the torso
{{muscle-stub