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The abdominal muscles are located between the ribcage and the pelvis on the front of the body. They have many important functions, including holding organs in place, supporting the trunk, and allowing movement. There are five main abdominal muscles: pyramidalis, rectus abdominus, external obliques, internal obliques, and transversus abdominis. The deepest of these layers is the transversus abdominis, which has fibres that run perpendicular to the rectus abdominus. The internal oblique layers run upward and forward from the sides of the abdomen, and the external oblique layers, which form the outermost muscle layers of the abdomen, run downward and forward. The abdominal muscles are strong bands of muscles lining the walls of the abdomen.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of abdominal muscles | 5 |
| Location | Between the ribcage and pelvis on the front of the body |
| Function | Holding organs in place, supporting the trunk, allowing movement, maintaining posture, supporting the spine |
| Muscle groups | Transversus abdominis, Rectus abdominis, External obliques, Internal obliques, Pyramidalis |
| Core muscles | Include transversus abdominis, pelvic floor muscles, oblique muscles, multifidus |
| Appearance | ["Six-pack" appearance refers to the rectus abdominis] |
| Exercises | Pilates, Stability ball, Bicycle crunches, Opposing leg-to-arm mountain climbers, Twisting hanging knee raises, Pallof presses, Side planks, Turkish get-ups, Core rotation exercises, Stability exercises |
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Transversus Abdominis
The transversus abdominis is one of the five main abdominal muscles. It is the deepest abdominal muscle layer, arising from the lower six ribs and the hip bone and attaching to the pubic crest. It is a broad paired muscular sheet found on the lateral sides of the abdominal wall. The transversus abdominis is also referred to as the "corset muscle" because it pulls in what would otherwise be a protruding abdomen.
The transversus abdominis is innervated by the lower intercostal nerves and the iliohypogastric nerve and the ilioinguinal nerve. It is involved in compressing the ribs and viscera, providing thoracic and pelvic stability. It also contracts during the exhalation phase of respiration to force air out of the thorax. The transversus abdominis is particularly important for pregnant women, as it helps them deliver a child.
The transversus abdominis is essential for maintaining normal abdominal tension and increasing intra-abdominal pressure. It works with the diaphragm to facilitate breathing and maintain pressure to keep organs in place. It is also important for back and core health, helping to keep the body stable and protect the spine during movement.
Weak transversus abdominis muscles can lead to abdominal pain and an inability to hold in the stomach after a large meal or when gassy. The "drawing-in" technique is an effective way to activate and strengthen this muscle.
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Rectus Abdominis
The rectus abdominis is a long, flat muscle that extends along the whole length of the front of the abdomen. It is commonly referred to as the ""abs muscle"" or the "six-pack". It is separated from its fellow muscle on the opposite side by the linea alba, a connective tissue. The rectus abdominis is paired with another muscle called the pyramidalis, and together they comprise the anterolateral abdominal wall along with three lateral abdominal muscles: the external oblique, internal oblique, and transversus abdominis.
The rectus abdominis is an important postural muscle and is responsible for flexing the lumbar spine, as when doing a crunch. It also assists with breathing and plays a role in respiration when forcefully exhaling, such as after exercise. The muscle is innervated by thoraco-abdominal nerves, which are continuations of the T7-T11 intercostal nerves. The sensory supply is from the 7-12 thoracic nerves.
The rectus abdominis is attached by two tendons: the larger one is attached to the pubic crest, from the pubic tubercle to the pectineal line, while the smaller, medial tendon is attached to the pubic symphysis. The fibres of the rectus abdominis then extend vertically superiorly and insert into the xiphoid process of the sternum and costal cartilages of the 5th, 6th, and 7th ribs. The most lateral fibres attach to the anterior end of the 5th rib, but in some cases, it can extend to the 3rd and 4th ribs.
The rectus abdominis has many sources of arterial blood supply, including the inferior and superior epigastric arteries. Additionally, small terminal branches of the lower three posterior intercostal arteries, the subcostal artery, and the deep circumflex artery also contribute to the blood supply. The muscle is responsible for moving the body between the rib cage and the pelvis. It also helps to hold internal organs in place and keep the body stable during movement.
To isolate the rectus abdominis during exercise, it is recommended to bend the knees to minimise the engagement of the hip flexors. Raising the trunk should be performed in a straight manner.
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External Obliques
The external oblique muscles, also known as the obliquus externus abdominis, are the largest and outermost of the three flat abdominal muscles of the lateral anterior abdomen. They are a pair of muscles, with one on each side of the rectus abdominis. They are broad, thin, and irregularly quadrilateral, with their muscular portion occupying the side and their aponeurosis occupying the anterior wall of the abdomen. The external obliques are situated on the lateral and anterior parts of the abdomen, extending from the lower half of the ribs around and down to the pelvis. They cover the sides of the abdominal area, sitting on the top surface of the abdomen right below the subcutaneous fat and skin.
The external obliques have a variety of functions, including pulling the chest downwards and compressing the abdominal cavity, which increases intra-abdominal pressure. They also perform 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 external obliques work together with the internal oblique muscles to allow the trunk to twist and turn. They also contribute to the lateral flexion of the trunk when working unilaterally with the ipsilateral abdominal and back muscles. Bilateral contraction of the external obliques, along with the rectus abdominis and internal oblique, flexes the trunk by drawing the pubis towards the xiphoid, as in crunches or sit-ups.
The external oblique muscles are supplied by the ventral branches of the lower six thoracoabdominal nerves and the subcostal nerve on each side. 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 upper two-thirds receive blood supply from the branches of the lower posterior intercostal and subcostal arteries, while the deep circumflex iliac artery supplies the inferior third of the muscle.
The external oblique muscles are susceptible to strain or injury, which can be debilitating even in movements that do not directly use the muscle, such as walking or running. Oblique strain is a common injury in baseball, especially for pitchers and batters.
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Internal Obliques
The internal obliques, also known as the obliquus internus abdominis, are a pair of muscles lying on either side of the abdomen. They are thin, flat muscles that sit on top of the external obliques, just inside the hip bones. They are much thinner and smaller than the external oblique muscles.
The internal obliques are accessory muscles of respiration, acting as antagonists to the diaphragm. When the diaphragm contracts, it pulls the lower wall of the chest cavity down, increasing the volume of the lungs, which then fill with air. Conversely, when the internal obliques contract, they compress the organs of the abdomen, pushing them up into the diaphragm, which intrudes back into the chest cavity, reducing the volume of the air-filled lungs and producing an exhalation.
The internal obliques work with the external oblique muscles to allow your trunk to twist and turn. For example, twisting the trunk to the left requires the left side internal oblique and the right side external oblique to contract together. The internal obliques are also referred to as "same-side rotators" because their contraction causes ipsilateral rotation and side-bending. For example, the right internal oblique and the left external oblique contract as the torso flexes and rotates to bring the left shoulder towards the right hip.
The internal obliques, along with the external obliques and the transversus abdominis, form the three distinct layers of the lateral abdominal wall. The internal oblique muscle fibres are obliquely oriented, perpendicular to those of the external abdominal oblique. The internal obliques are important for maintaining normal abdominal tension and increasing intra-abdominal pressure, which helps to hold internal organs in place and keep them safe from injury.
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Pyramidalis
The abdominal muscles are located between the ribcage and the pelvis on the front of the body. They support the trunk, allow movement, and hold organs in place by regulating internal abdominal pressure. The abdominal wall is partly bone but mainly muscle. The muscles form a flexible but firm wall to keep the abdominal organs safe from injury and help them maintain their positions.
The pyramidalis is a small triangular muscle located anterior to the lower part of the rectus abdominis muscle within the rectus sheath. It is part of the anterior abdominal wall. The rectus abdominis muscle is the muscle responsible for the "six-pack" appearance. The pyramidalis muscle is present in 80% of the human population and may be absent on one or both sides. It is innervated by the subcostal nerve, specifically the ventral portion of T12, and is supplied with blood from the inferior and superior epigastric arteries.
The pyramidalis muscle originates from the pubic symphysis and pubic crest. It attaches to the linea alba, a structure between the two rectus abdominis muscles. The muscle belly narrows down as it courses superiorly and ends by a pointed extremity which is inserted into the linea alba, halfway between the umbilicus and pubis. The linea alba is a structure between the two rectus abdominis muscles.
The pyramidalis muscle tenses the linea alba, contributing to contracting the abdominal wall and increasing positive abdominal pressure. This plays a dual role: protecting the abdominal organs and supporting certain physiological processes such as forced respiration, singing, micturition, and defecation.
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Frequently asked questions
The lower abdominal muscles are the lower muscle fibres of the internal obliques. They run nearly horizontally and work with the external obliques to flex the spinal column, bend the torso sideways, rotate the trunk, and compress the abdomen.
The abdominal muscles have many functions, including supporting the trunk, allowing movement, holding organs in place, maintaining posture, and supporting the spine.
There are five main abdominal muscles, which are surrounded by the abdominal wall, which is partly bone but mainly muscle.
The abdominal muscles are the pyramidalis, rectus abdominis, external obliques, internal obliques, and transversus abdominis.
There are various exercises that target the lower abdominal muscles, including twisting hanging knee raises, pallof presses, side planks, Turkish get-ups, and bicycle crunches. Other exercises that target the abdominal muscles include Pilates, using a stability ball, and core rotation exercises.
