Rotatores Muscle

Authors

Affiliations

Nate Yomogida, PT, DPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy

B.S. in Kinesiology

Chloë Kerstein, PT, DPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy

B.A. in Neuroscience

Reading list

• Ch16 rotatores Muscle¹
• Thoracolumbar paraspinal muscles¹
• Neuman²

Muscle	Origin	Insertion	Innervation	Action

The rotatores muscles can be divided into

• Rotatores cervicis
• Rotatores Thoracis
• Rotatores lumborum

Furthermore, these can be broken down into long and short muscles³.

• Long muscles span 2 vertebrae³.
• Short muscles span 1 vertebrae³.

Rotatores Breves

Origin

T1-T12 TP of lower vertebrae⁴

Insertion

T1-T12: SP of adjacent vertebrae⁴

Innervation

Spinal nn. (Posterior Rami)⁴

Action

• BIL: Extends T/S⁴
• UNIL: C/L Rotation of T/S⁴

Rotatores Longi

Origin

T1-T12 TP of lower vertebrae⁴

Insertion

T1-T12: SP of vertebrae 2 above (it skips a vertebrae)⁴

Innervation

Spinal nn. (Posterior Rami)⁴

Action

• BIL: Extends T/S⁴
• UNIL: C/L Rotation of T/S⁴

References

1.

Donnelly JM, Simons DG, eds. Travell, Simons & Simons’ Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual. Third edition. Wolters Kluwer Health; 2019.

2.

Neumann DA, Kelly ER, Kiefer CL, Martens K, Grosz CM. Kinesiology of the Musculoskeletal System: Foundations for Rehabilitation. 3rd ed. Elsevier; 2017.

3.

Jones B. B Project Foundations. b Project; 2025.

4.

Gilroy AM, MacPherson BR, Wikenheiser JC, Voll MM, Wesker K, Schünke M, eds. Atlas of Anatomy. 4th ed. Thieme; 2020.