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The abdominal external oblique muscle, also known as the external oblique muscle, is one of the five main abdominal muscles, alongside the pyramidalis, rectus abdominis, internal oblique, and transversus abdominis. The external oblique is the largest and outermost of the three flat abdominal muscles of the lateral anterior abdomen. It extends from the lower half of the ribs around and down to the pelvis, with its lowest part connecting to the top corner of the pelvis (the crest of the ilium). The external oblique supports various trunk movements, including rotation of the spine, and helps pull the chest downwards, compressing the abdominal cavity. Oblique muscle pain is typically indicative of an injury, with strains being a common occurrence, especially in sports that require twisting, such as baseball, tennis, and golf.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | The external abdominal oblique muscle is the largest and outermost of the three flat abdominal muscles of the lateral anterior abdomen. |
| Location | The external oblique muscle is situated on the lateral and anterior parts of the abdomen. |
| Shape | The external oblique muscle is broad, thin, and irregularly quadrilateral. |
| Function | The external oblique muscle supports the rotation of the spine and pulls the chest downwards, compressing the abdominal cavity. It also performs ipsilateral side-bending and contralateral rotation. |
| Nerve Supply | The external oblique muscle is supplied by the ventral branches of the lower six thoraco-abdominal nerves and the subcostal nerve on each side. |
| Blood Supply | The cranial portion of the external oblique muscle is supplied by the lower intercostal arteries, while the caudal portion is supplied by branches of the deep circumflex iliac artery or the iliolumbar artery. |
| Pain and Injury | Oblique muscle pain, often referred to as "side strain," can occur due to twisting or throwing motions in sports such as baseball, tennis, and golf. Treatment options include conservative treatment, ice packs, stretching, and a balanced fitness regime. |
| Internal Oblique Muscles | The internal obliques are located underneath the external obliques on each side of the trunk. They function similarly to external obliques but rotate ipsilaterally. |
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What You'll Learn
External oblique muscles
The external oblique muscle is the largest and outermost of the three flat abdominal muscles of the lateral anterior abdomen. It is broad, thin, and irregularly quadrilateral, with its muscular portion occupying the side and its aponeurosis the anterior wall of the abdomen. The external oblique 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 external oblique muscle originates from the external surfaces of the lower eight ribs (ribs 5-12). The attaching fibres interdigitate with those of serratus anterior and latissimus dorsi, forming a zig-zag oblique line on the lateral side of the thorax. From here, the muscle fibres fan out towards the midline and inferior margins of the abdomen. The most posterior fibres course almost vertically, while the remainder passes anteromedially.
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. The upper two-thirds of the external oblique are supplied by the lower intercostal nerves T7-T11 and the subcostal nerve T12, while the lower third is supplied by the iliohypogastric L1 from the lumbar plexus.
The external oblique has a variety of functions depending on whether it contracts unilaterally or bilaterally. When contracting unilaterally, the external oblique rotates the trunk to the opposite side. When working together with the ipsilateral abdominal and back muscles, it contributes to the lateral flexion of the trunk on the same side. The external oblique also functions to pull the chest downwards and compress the abdominal cavity, increasing intra-abdominal pressure. It also performs ipsilateral side-bending and contralateral rotation: the right external oblique would side-bend to the right and rotate to the left, and vice versa.
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Internal oblique muscles
The internal oblique muscles are one of the three layers of muscles that make up the abdominal wall. The other two are the external oblique muscles and the transverse abdominis muscle. The internal oblique muscles sit underneath the external oblique muscles on each side of the trunk. The name "internal oblique" refers to the location and shape of the muscle. The internal obliques are closer to the core than the external obliques.
The internal oblique muscles are broad, thin, muscular sheets found on the lateral side of the abdomen. They are continuous with the rectus sheath, the large aponeurosis of the anterior abdominal wall. The rectus sheath encloses the rectus abdominis and pyramidalis muscles, as well as many neurovascular structures of the anterior abdominal wall.
The internal oblique muscles have multiple sites of origin, which are distributed along the anterolateral side of the trunk. The muscle fibres can be divided into the anterior, lateral, and posterior fibres. The anterior fibres arise from a deeper structure known as the iliopectineal arch. The lateral fibres originate from the anterior two-thirds of the iliac crest and then diverge superiorly and medially. The posterior fibres originate from the posterior end of the iliac crest and the thoracolumbar fascia.
The internal oblique muscles are important for various movements of the trunk, including twisting and rotating the body at the core. They also help to maintain normal abdominal tension and increase intra-abdominal pressure. Additionally, the internal oblique muscles function as an accessory muscle of respiration, acting as an antagonist to the diaphragm during exhalation. When the internal oblique muscles contract, they compress the organs of the abdomen, pushing them up into the diaphragm, which reduces the volume of the air-filled lungs and produces an exhalation.
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Oblique muscle pain
The obliques are the muscles that run down either side of the abdomen, connecting the ribs, top of the hip bone, fascia of the abdominals, and lower back. The external obliques sit on the outer edge of the abdomen, while the internal obliques sits directly next to them, closer to the core. These muscles work together when twisting or rotating the torso.
The pain caused by an oblique injury can radiate from the oblique to the back, lower shoulder, groin, and even the knee. It can also cause burning and discomfort in the urinary tract, bladder, and can contribute to incontinence in some individuals.
Conservative treatment, such as physical therapy, often leads to a full recovery within a few weeks. This may involve gentle stretching exercises to improve flexibility and promote healing. Specific strengthening exercises targeting the affected oblique muscles can also enhance their resilience and reduce the risk of re-injury.
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Oblique muscle strain
The obliques are the muscles running down either side of the abdomen. There are two sets of oblique muscles: external and internal obliques. External obliques sit on the outer edge of the abdomen, and internal obliques sit directly next to them, closer to the core. These muscles work together when a person twists or rotates their body at the core.
Gentle, controllable oblique muscle pain may be normal when performing exercises that target the obliques, such as bicycle crunches. However, injury to the internal obliques can also occur when performing certain throwing, twisting, or swinging motions that overextend the muscle and cause tears. Symptoms of oblique strain include pain when repeating the movement that caused the injury and tenderness on the side of the nondominant arm. The pain may worsen with certain movements, such as twisting, deep breaths, coughing, or sneezing.
Conservative treatment is usually enough to treat oblique muscle strains, and a full recovery can be expected within a few weeks. Applying an ice pack for up to 15 minutes may help with muscle strains in general. Stretching, warming up, and cooling down when exercising can also help prevent oblique muscle strains. In addition, a balanced fitness regime that includes cardio, strength training, and flexibility work, with new moves and exercises introduced slowly and carefully, can help reduce the risk of oblique muscle strain.
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Oblique muscle function
The external oblique muscle is one of the outermost abdominal muscles, extending from the lower half of the ribs around and down to the pelvis. The abdominal external 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. The external oblique is a paired muscle located on the lateral sides of the abdominal wall.
The external oblique muscle functions to pull the chest downwards and compress the abdominal cavity, which increases intra-abdominal pressure. 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, except it rotates ipsilaterally.
The external oblique and internal oblique muscles work together when a person twists or rotates their body at the core. For example, when contracting bilaterally, the external oblique muscle works together with the internal abdominal oblique and rectus abdominis to flex the trunk anteriorly. This activity also increases the tone of the abdominal wall and positive intra-abdominal pressure, which is a part of various physiological processes such as forced exhalation, micturition, defecation, and labour.
Bilateral muscle weakness decreases the ability of trunk flexion, and anterior pelvic tilting can be observed from a standing position in cases of bilateral weakness. Oblique muscle pain occurs due to side strain. Strains generally affect muscles and tendons. During an overstretch, tendons and muscles may partially or totally sever from the bone. During oblique strains, the tendon may tear from the lower rib cage.
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Frequently asked questions
The obliques are the muscles running down either side of the abdomen. There are two sets of oblique muscles: external and internal obliques. The external obliques are the largest and outermost of the three flat abdominal muscles of the lateral anterior abdomen. The internal obliques are underneath the external obliques on each side of the trunk.
The oblique muscles control bending physical activities such as bending over, twisting the torso, and side bending. They also assist with breathing and support the rotation of the spine.
Oblique muscle pain occurs due to a type of injury known as "side strain". This can be caused by activities such as rowing, raking leaves, chronic coughing, lifting heavy loads, using shovels or pitchforks, and even sitting for long periods. Strains generally affect muscles and tendons, and during an overstretch, they may partially or totally sever from the bone.
