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Dissection of upper deep intersegmental muscles on left
Posterior view
Multifidus, Rotatores, and Intersegemental Muscles
1 Multifidus lumborum muscle
2 Multifidus thoracis muscle
3 Multifidus cervicis muscle
4 Rectus capitis posterior major muscle
5 Rectus capitis posterior minor muscle
6 Obliquus capitis superior muscle
7 Obliquus capitis inferior muscle
8 Rotatores cervicis muscle
9 Rotatores thoracis muscle
10 Levatores costarum muscle
Other Muscles and Structures
11 Semispinalis cervicic muscle
12 Medial lumbar intertransversarii muscle
13 Nuchal ligament
14 External oblique muscle
15 Transversus abdominis muscle
16 Quadratus lumborum muscle
17 External intercostal muscle
18 Internal intercostal muscle
19 Middle scalene muscle
20 Trapezius muscle
21 Deltoid muscle
22 Latissimus dorsi muscle
23 Infraspinatus muscle
24 Teres major muscle
25 Rhomboideus major muscle
26 Triceps muscle
27 Posterior digastricus msucle
28 Auricularis posterior muscle
29 Transversus nuchae muscle
The small intersegmental muscles —
the interspinales muscles, intertrans-
versarii muscles, levatores costarum,
and subocciptal muscles — in general span a single intervertebral joint. The interspinales and intertrans-
versarii muscles contribute little to any signifi cant vertebral movements. They contain large numbers of
sensory neurons within their muscultendinous fasciculi. These spindle-like sensory receptors in the mus-
cles monitor muscle tension. These small muscles, with their poor mechanical advantage, probably func-
tion as receptors that monitor the regional movements of the vertebral column and supply feedback that
infl uences the action of the larger surrounding muscles. Associated deep in the junction of the cranium and
vertebral column are the four suboccipital muscles. The suboccipital muscles are homologous to the other
deep muscles at more inferior vertebral levels, but are developmentally modifi ed and enlarged to function
with their specialized vertebral counterparts — the axis, atlas, and occipital bone.
Intersegmental Muscles
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