Logan Steele
The abdominal muscles are strong bands of muscles lining the walls of the abdomen, situated between the ribs and the pelvis. They are essential for holding internal organs in place, supporting the body during movement, and protecting the spine. The abdominal external oblique muscle is the largest and outermost of the three flat abdominal muscles of the lateral anterior abdomen. The internal oblique muscle is underneath the external oblique muscle. The external oblique originates from the lower eight ribs and curves around the abdomen's lateral and anterior portions. The internal oblique functions similarly to the external oblique, except it rotates ipsilaterally.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | The obliques are the muscles known as the waist muscles. |
| Location | The oblique muscles connect the ribs, top of the hip bone, fascia of the abdominals, and lower back. |
| Function | Oblique muscles control bending, twisting the torso, side bending, and assist with breathing. |
| Pain | Oblique muscles can cause pain in the side of the waist area, low abs, pelvis, abdomen, groin, and testicles. |
| Treatment | Heat treatments, cold packs, compression, and physical therapy can help relieve pain and speed up healing. |
| Prevention | Warm-up, stretching, and strengthening exercises can help prevent oblique muscle injuries. |
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What You'll Learn
The external abdominal oblique muscle
In most humans, the external abdominal oblique muscle is not visible due to subcutaneous fat deposits and its small size. It arises from eight fleshy digitations, each from the external surfaces and inferior borders of the fifth to twelfth ribs (the lower eight ribs). These digitations are arranged in an oblique line, with the upper digitations attached close to the cartilages of the corresponding ribs and the lowest attached to the apex of the cartilage of the last rib. The five superior serrations increase in size from above downward and are received between corresponding processes of the serratus anterior muscle. The three lower serrations diminish in size from above downward and are received between corresponding processes of the latissimus dorsi.
The external oblique muscle is supplied by the ventral branches of the lower six thoracoabdominal nerves and the subcostal nerve on each side. The cranial portion of the muscle is supplied by the lower intercostal arteries, while the caudal portion is supplied by branches of either the deep circumflex iliac artery or the iliolumbar artery.
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The internal abdominal oblique muscle
The muscle has multiple sites of origin, including the anterolateral side of the trunk, and can be divided into anterior, lateral, and posterior fibres. The anterior fibres arise from the iliopectineal arch, passing inferomedially and merging with the tendinous fibres of the transversus abdominis to form the conjoint tendon. The lateral fibres originate from the anterior two-thirds of the iliac crest and contribute to the formation of the rectus sheath. The posterior fibres originate from the posterior end of the iliac crest and the thoracolumbar fascia, ascending superolaterally and inserting into the lower ribs and their cartilages.
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Functions of the abdominal obliques
The abdominal external oblique muscle, also known as the external oblique muscle or exterior oblique, is the largest and outermost of the three flat abdominal muscles of the lateral anterior abdomen. The muscle is situated on the lateral and anterior parts of the abdomen. It arises from eight fleshy digitations, each from the external surfaces and inferior borders of the fifth to twelfth ribs (lower eight ribs).
The external oblique functions to pull the chest downwards and compress the abdominal cavity, which increases the intra-abdominal pressure as in a Valsalva maneuver. It also performs ipsilateral (same-side) side-bending and contralateral (opposite-side) rotation: the right external oblique would side-bend to the right and rotate to the left, and vice versa. The internal oblique muscle functions similarly to the external oblique, except it rotates ipsilaterally.
The external oblique works with the internal oblique muscle to allow the trunk to twist and turn. The internal oblique is situated just deep to the external oblique muscle. The internal oblique is much thinner and smaller than the external oblique. Both muscles run diagonally from the ribs to the pelvis, with the internal oblique running in the opposite direction to the external oblique.
The external and internal oblique muscles are part of the five main abdominal muscles, which are essential for holding organs in place and supporting the body during movement. They help protect the spine and keep the body stable and balanced. They also help with movement between the ribcage and pelvis, allowing the trunk to be in constant motion and supporting the spine and trunk during walking, sitting, standing, or twisting from side to side.
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Injuries to the abdominal obliques
The abdominal external oblique muscle is the largest and outermost of the three flat abdominal muscles of the lateral anterior abdomen. The muscle is situated on the lateral and anterior parts of the abdomen and arises from eight fleshy digitations, from the external surfaces and inferior borders of the fifth to twelfth ribs (lower eight ribs). The internal oblique muscle is just deep to the external oblique muscle.
Abdominal oblique injuries are characterised by acute pain and localized tenderness over the lateral abdominal wall. The pain may also be felt in the lower chest and upper abdomen and can be mistaken for heartburn. In some cases, the injury may cause unilateral low back pain, depending on the site of injury.
Conservative treatment is usually enough for an individual to recover from oblique muscle strains. This includes isometric strengthening, light stretching, and learning the abdominal draw-in maneuver to reestablish neuromuscular control of deep core muscles. After a few weeks, concentric strengthening exercises and aerobic conditioning can be introduced.
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The abdominal obliques and the core muscles
The abdominal muscles are strong bands of muscles lining the walls of the abdomen (the trunk of the body). They are located at the front of the body, between the ribs and the pelvis. The abdominal muscles have many important functions, from holding organs in place to supporting the body during movement.
There are five main abdominal muscles: pyramidalis, rectus abdominis, external obliques, internal obliques, and transversus abdominis. The external and internal obliques are the focus here. The external abdominal oblique muscle is the largest and outermost of the three flat abdominal muscles of the lateral anterior abdomen. It is situated on the lateral and anterior parts of the abdomen. In most humans, the oblique is not visible due to subcutaneous fat deposits and the small size of the muscle. The internal obliques are a pair of muscles on top of the external obliques, just inside the hip bones. They are much thinner and smaller than the external obliques.
The external obliques are a pair of muscles, with one on each side of the rectus abdominis. They are the largest of the flat muscles and sit at the bottom of the stack. They run from the sides of the body toward the middle. The external obliques allow the trunk to twist from side to side. The internal obliques function similarly to the external obliques, except they rotate ipsilaterally. The internal obliques rotate the torso and bend it sideways. They also operate in the opposite way to the external obliques, for example, twisting the trunk to the left requires the left internal oblique and the right external oblique to contract together.
The abdominal muscles, together with the back muscles, make up the core muscles. They help keep the body stable and balanced and protect the spine.
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Frequently asked questions
The abdominal muscles, also known as the core muscles, are strong bands of muscles lining the walls of your abdomen (the trunk of your body). There are five main abdominal muscles: pyramidalis, rectus abdominis, external obliques, internal obliques, and transversus abdominis.
The external oblique muscles are the outermost abdominal muscles, extending from the lower half of the ribs around and down to the pelvis. They are large and sit on the top surface of the abdomen right below the subcutaneous fat and skin. The external obliques function to pull the chest downwards and compress the abdominal cavity, increasing intra-abdominal pressure.
The internal oblique muscles are underneath the external oblique muscles on each side of the trunk. They function similarly to the external oblique muscles, except they rotate ipsilaterally.
The external and internal oblique muscles lie on a diagonal but run in opposite directions. They also rotate your torso.
