Intrinsic Back Muscle Group

Authors

Affiliations

Nate Yomogida, B.S., SPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy

B.S. in Kinesiology

Chloë Kerstein, B.S., SPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy

B.A. in Neuroscience

Warning: No 'path' link found for variable 'ref-medial-intertransversarii-cervices' in YAML data.

Table 1: Intrinsic Back Muscles

Muscle	Origin	Insertion	Innervation	Action
Anterior Intertransversarii cervicis	C2-C7 Anterior tubercle of superior segment	C2-C7 Anterior tubercle of inferior segment	Spinal nn. (anterior rami)	Bilateral: Cervical extension and stabilization, lumbar extension and stabilization Unilateral: Cervical extension and ipsilateral sidebend, Lumbar extension and ipsilateral sidebend
Iliocostalis cervicis
Iliocostalis lumborum
Iliocostalis thoracis
Interspinales cervicis	C1-C7 SP of superior segment	C1-C7 SP of inferior segment	Spinal nn. Posterior rami	Cervical: Extension Lumbar: Extension
Interspinales lumbora	L1-L5 SP of superior segment	L1-L5 SP of inferior segment	Spinal nn. Posterior rami	Bilateral: Cervical extension and stabilization, lumbar extension and stabilization Unilateral: Cervical extension and ipsilateral sidebend, Lumbar extension and ipsilateral sidebend
Lateral intertransversarii lumbora	L1-L5 TP of superior segment	L1-L5 TP of inferior segment	Spinal nn. (anterior rami)	Bilateral: Cervical extension and stabilization, lumbar extension and stabilization Unilateral: Cervical extension and ipsilateral sidebend, Lumbar extension and ipsilateral sidebend
Levatores cosatrum breves	C7-T11 TP	Costal angle of next inferior rib	Spinal nn. (posterior rami)	Bilateral: Thoracic extension Unilateral: Thoracic ipsilateral sidebend, contralateral rotation
Levatores costarum longi	C7-T11 TP	Costal angle of rib 2 segments inferior	Spinal nn. (posterior rami)	Bilateral: Thoracic extension Unilateral: Thoracic ipsilateral sidebend, contralateral rotation
Longissimus capitis	T1-T3 TP C4-C7 TP & articular process	Mastoid process	Spinal nn. Posterior rami (lateral br.) C1 - C5	Bilateral: Head extension Unilateral: Ipsilateral head sidebend, Ipsilateral rotation
Longissimus cervicis	T1-T6 TP	C2-C5 TP	Spinal nn. Posterior rami (lateral br.) C1 - C5	Bilateral: Extends spine Unilateral: Ipsilateral spine sidebend
Longissimus thoracis	Sacrum Iliac crest Lumbar vertebrae SP Lower thoracic TP	2-12 Ribs Thoracic TP Lumbar TP	Spinal nn. Posterior rami (lateral br.) C1 - C5	Bilateral: Extends spine Unilateral: Ipsilateral spine sidebend
Medial intertransversarii cervicis
Medial intertransversarii lumbora	L1-L5 Mammillary process of superior segment	L1-L5 Mammillary process of inferior segment	Spinal nn. (posterior rami)	Bilateral: Cervical extension and stabilization, lumbar extension and stabilization Unilateral: Cervical extension and ipsilateral sidebend, Lumbar extension and ipsilateral sidebend
Multifidus
Posterior intertransversarii cervicis	C2-C7 Posterior tubercle of superior segment	C2-C7 Posterior tubercle of superior segment	Spinal nn. (posterior rami)	Bilateral: Cervical extension and stabilization, lumbar extension and stabilization Unilateral: Cervical extension and ipsilateral sidebend, Lumbar extension and ipsilateral sidebend
Rotatores breves
Rotatores longi
Semispinalis capitis
Semispinalis cervicis
Semispinalis thoracis
Serratus posterior inferior
Serratus posterior superior
Spinalis cervicis	C5-T2 SP	C5-T2 SP	Spinal nn. Posterior rami (lateral br.)	Bilateral: Cervical extension, Thoracic extension Unilateral: Cervical ipsilateral sidebend, Thoracic ipsilateral sidebend
Spinalis thoracis	T10-L3 SP and Lateral surfaces	T2-8 SP & Lateral surfaces	Spinal nn. Posterior rami (lateral br.)	Bilateral: Cervical extension, Thoracic extension Unilateral: Cervical ipsilateral sidebend, Thoracic ipsilateral sidebend
Splenius capitis	Nuchal lig. C7-T4 SP	Lateral third of nuchal line Mastoid process	Spinal nn. Posterior rami (lateral br.) C1 - C6	Bilateral: Head and neck extension Unilateral: I/L sidebend, I/L rotation
Splenius cervicis	T3-T7 SP	C1-C4 SP	Spinal nn. Posterior rami (lateral br.) C1 - C6	Bilateral: Head and neck extension Unilateral: I/L sidebend, I/L rotation