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The transversospinalis muscle group is a deep group of back muscles that lie between the transverse and spinous processes of the vertebral column. The group consists of three subgroups: the semispinalis, multifidus, and rotatores. The transversospinalis muscles function in spinal stability, proprioception, and posture, stabilizing the vertebrae during localized movements of the intervertebral joints of the vertebral column.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of muscles | Deep layer of intrinsic back muscles |
| Muscle groups | Rotatores, multifidus, and semispinalis |
| Muscle structure | Arise from the transverse processes of the vertebral column and run upwards and medially in an oblique fashion to insert on the spinous processes of superior vertebrae |
| Muscle function | Stabilize the vertebrae during localized movements of the intervertebral joints of the vertebral column |
| Muscle movement | All transversospinalis muscles are extensors of the back and neck |
| Largest muscle in the posterior low back | Multifidus |
| Largest muscle in the posterior neck | Semispinalis |
| Muscle innervation | Segmental branches of the posterior rami of spinal nerves |
| Muscle blood supply | Vertebral, deep cervical, occipital, transverse cervical, posterior intercostal, subcostal, lumbar, and lateral sacral arteries |
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What You'll Learn
The three subgroups of transversospinalis muscles
The transversospinalis muscle group is a deep group of intrinsic back muscles that lie between the transverse and spinous processes of the vertebral column. These muscles are responsible for spinal stability, proprioception, and posture, and they stabilize the vertebrae during localized movements of the intervertebral joints of the vertebral column. The transversospinalis group includes three subgroups: rotatores, multifidus, and semispinalis.
The rotatores are the deepest muscles in the transversospinalis group and have the shortest fascicles, spanning one to two segments. They include rotatores capitis, rotatores cervicis, and rotatores thoracis, with the latter being the most developed in this subgroup. The rotatores muscles are believed to primarily act as stabilizers of the spinal column, although some texts identify them as rotators.
The multifidus is the largest muscle in the posterior low back and belongs to the intermediate layer of the transversospinalis group. It is composed of many short, triangular muscles that span the entire length of the vertebral column, with the lumbar region being the thickest and most developed. The multifidus is also identified as a rotator by some sources.
The semispinalis is the largest muscle in the posterior neck and is the most superficial muscle in the transversospinalis group. It has the longest fascicles, spanning up to six segments. The semispinalis muscle group includes the semispinalis capitis, semispinalis cervicis, and semispinalis thoracis. The semispinalis capitis is innervated by the greater occipital nerve and spinal nerve C3, while the semispinalis cervicis and thoracis are innervated by medial branches of posterior rami of spinal nerves. The semispinalis muscles have a unique function due to their attachment to the skull, allowing for the extension of the neck and thoracic spine during bilateral contraction and ipsilateral flexion during unilateral contraction.
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The deepest muscles in the transversospinalis group
The transversospinalis muscle group is the deep layer of intrinsic back muscles. These muscles lie between the transverse and spinous processes and are grouped by the length of the fascicles and the region covered. The deepest muscles in the transversospinalis group are the rotatores, which have the shortest fascicles, spanning one to two segments. The rotatores muscles are the rotatores capitis, rotatores cervicis, and rotatores thoracis, with the rotatores thoracis being the most developed in this group.
The rotatores muscles are identified as rotators in many texts, but this action has not been validated, and the rotatores are more likely stabilizers of the spinal column. The rotatores lie deep to the multifidus and span the whole length of the vertebral column, consisting of two parts: the long (longus) and short (brevis) rotatores. The long rotatores pass from the transverse process medially to the spinous process, crossing two vertebrae, while the rotatores brevis pass from the transverse process and insert at the base of the spinous process of the vertebrae above the origin.
The other subgroups of the transversospinalis muscle group are the semispinalis and multifidus. The semispinalis is the most superficial of the transversospinalis muscle group, with attachment sites at the thoracic vertebrae (semispinalis thoracis), cervical vertebrae (semispinalis cervicis), and the occipital bone at the base of the skull (semispinalis capitis). The semispinalis has the longest fascicles of the transversospinalis group, spanning six segments. The multifidus is the largest muscle in the posterior low back and belongs to the intermediate layer of the transversospinalis muscle group.
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The most superficial muscle in the group
The transversospinalis muscle group is a deep group of intrinsic back muscles that lie between the transverse and spinous processes of the vertebral column. They are responsible for spinal stability, proprioception, and posture, helping to stabilize the vertebrae during localized movements of the intervertebral joints of the vertebral column. The three subgroups of the transversospinalis muscle group are the rotatores, multifidus, and semispinalis.
The semispinalis muscle is the most superficial muscle in the transversospinalis group. It has the longest fascicles, spanning six segments and the thoracic and cervical regions of the vertebral column, with an attachment on the occipital bone of the skull. The semispinalis capitis is innervated by the greater occipital nerve (posterior ramus of C2 spinal nerve) and spinal nerve C3, while the semispinalis cervicis and the semispinalis thoracis are innervated by the medial branches of the posterior rami of spinal nerves. The semispinalis muscles are vascularized by branches of the occipital, deep cervical, vertebral, and dorsal branches of the posterior intercostal arteries.
The semispinalis muscle has a unique function due to its attachment to the skull. Bilateral contraction of this muscle extends the neck and thoracic spine, while unilateral contraction causes ipsilateral flexion of the neck and thoracic spine with contralateral rotation of the head. The semispinalis is the largest muscle in the posterior neck.
The rotatores are the deepest muscles in the transversospinalis group and have the shortest fascicles, spanning one to two segments. The rotatores thoracis are the most developed in this group, while the cervical-level and lumbar-level rotatores are less obvious and may be represented by deeper fascicles of the multifidus. The rotatores muscles are identified as rotators in many texts, but this action has been refuted, and they are more likely stabilizers of the spinal column.
The multifidus is the largest muscle in the posterior low back and belongs to the intermediate layer of the transversospinalis muscle group. It is composed of many short, triangular muscles that span the entire length of the vertebral column, with the thickest and most developed region being the lumbar region. The multifidus and semispinalis muscle group has also been identified as rotators by some texts, although this has been refuted by others.
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The function of transversospinalis muscles
The transversospinalis muscle group is a deep group of intrinsic back muscles that lie between the transverse and spinous processes of the vertebral column. They are responsible for spinal stability, proprioception, and posture, and play a crucial role in stabilizing the vertebrae during localized movements of the intervertebral joints of the vertebral column.
The transversospinalis muscle group consists of three major subgroups: the semispinalis, multifidus, and rotatores. The semispinalis muscles have the longest fascicles, spanning six segments, and are the most superficial muscles in the group. They originate from the transverse processes of the thoracic, cervical, and occipital vertebrae, crossing between four and six vertebrae to attach to the spinous processes. The semispinalis muscles are vascularized by branches of the occipital, deep cervical, vertebral, and dorsal branches of posterior intercostal arteries. Their unique attachment to the skull allows them to play a role in neck extension and rotation.
The multifidus is an intermediate layer muscle within the transversospinalis group. It is composed of many short, triangular muscles that span the entire length of the vertebral column, with the greatest thickness and development in the lumbar region. The multifidus is the largest muscle in the posterior low back.
The rotatores are the deepest muscles in the transversospinalis group and have the shortest fascicles, spanning one to two segments. They lie deep to the multifidus and are most developed in the thoracic region. The rotatores consist of two parts: the long rotatores and the short rotatores (rotatores longus and rotatores brevis). The long rotatores pass from the transverse process medially to the spinous process, crossing two vertebrae, while the rotatores brevis pass from the transverse process and insert at the base of the spinous process of the vertebrae above the origin. The cervical-level and lumbar-level rotatores may not be clearly distinguishable and may be represented by deeper fascicles of the multifidus.
Overall, the transversospinalis muscle group functions to provide support and maintain the body's posture, as well as to produce movements of the head, neck, and trunk. While these muscles are primarily responsible for spinal stability, they also contribute to flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and axial rotation of the vertebral column.
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The blood supply to the transversospinalis muscles
The transversospinalis muscle group is the deep layer of intrinsic back muscles. These muscles lie between the transverse and spinous processes of the vertebral column and are grouped by the length of the fascicles, as well as the region covered. The groups are rotatores, multifidus, and semispinalis.
The rotatores muscles are the deepest in the transversospinalis group and have the shortest fascicles, spanning one to two segments. The multifidus is composed of many short, triangular muscles that span the entire length of the vertebral column, but are thickest and most developed in the lumbar region. The semispinalis muscles have the longest fascicles, spanning six segments.
The deep cervical, posterior intercostal, subcostal, or lumbar arteries provide the blood supply for all the muscle groups of the back, although there will be some variation between individuals.
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Frequently asked questions
The transversospinalis muscles are a deep group of back muscles that lie between the transverse and spinous processes of the vertebral column.
The transversospinalis muscles consist of three major subgroups: semispinalis, multifidus, and rotatores.
The transversospinalis muscles function in spinal stability, proprioception, and posture. They also help with movements of the pelvis and vertebral column.
The semispinalis muscles have a unique function due to their attachment to the skull. Bilateral contraction of these muscles extends the neck and thoracic spine, while unilateral contraction causes ipsilateral flexion of the neck and thoracic spine with contralateral rotation of the head.
The rotatores muscles are the deepest muscles in the transversospinalis group and are likely stabilizers of the spinal column. They may also function as rotators.
