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The back is made up of large, complex muscles that support the trunk and spine, allowing us to walk, bend, twist, and hold our bodies upright. Healthcare providers divide the back muscles into three groups: superficial (extrinsic) back muscles, intermediate back muscles, and intrinsic (deep) back muscles. These muscles are prone to injury and back pain is one of the most common reasons for doctor visits. Understanding the back muscle anatomy is crucial for correct diagnosis and treatment. Core exercises such as pilates and yoga can help strengthen the back muscles and prevent injuries.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Function | Support, movement, and breathing |
| Location | From the neck to just above the hips |
| Structure | Woven layers of groups |
| Muscle Groups | Superficial (extrinsic), Intermediate, Intrinsic (deep) |
| Superficial Muscles | Trapezius, Latissimus Dorsi, Rhomboid Major, Rhomboid Minor, Levator Scapulae |
| Intermediate Muscles | Serratus Posterior Superior, Serratus Posterior Inferior |
| Intrinsic Muscles | Semispinalis, Multifidus, Rotatores |
| Nervous Supply | Spinal nerves |
| Core Muscles | Pelvic floor, abdominal wall, back muscles, diaphragm muscles |
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What You'll Learn
- The back is divided into three muscle groups: superficial, intermediate, and intrinsic (deep) muscles
- Superficial muscles help with neck and shoulder movements
- Intermediate muscles help with the movement of the thoracic cage
- Intrinsic muscles are the only true back muscles and are well-developed, large muscles that fuse with the spine
- Back muscles are prone to injury, with back pain being a common issue
The back is divided into three muscle groups: superficial, intermediate, and intrinsic (deep) muscles
The back is made up of a group of strong, paired muscles that lie on the posterior aspect of the trunk. These muscles enable movements of the spine, provide stability to the trunk, and coordinate movements of the limbs and trunk. The back muscles can be categorised into three groups based on their location: superficial back muscles, intermediate back muscles, and intrinsic back muscles.
The superficial back muscles are the muscles found just under the skin. They help with shoulder and neck movements and connect the vertebral column to the shoulder girdle and arms, allowing for a wide range of movements like lifting, pulling, and rotating the arms. These muscles include the latissimus dorsi, the trapezius, levator scapulae, and the rhomboids.
The intermediate back muscles are located beneath the superficial layer. They assist in respiratory functions by elevating and depressing the rib cage, helping with the movement of the thoracic cage. The intermediate extrinsic back muscles include the rhomboids, which lie deep beneath the trapezius and retract the scapula, providing shoulder stability.
The intrinsic or deep back muscles are located deeper in the back and are responsible for stabilising the spine and maintaining posture. These muscles fuse with the vertebral column and are enclosed by fascia. The three deep muscles of the back include the semispinalis, multifidus, and rotatores.
Understanding the structure of these back muscles is critical for correct diagnosis and treatment of back pain, which is the chief pathology associated with the back muscles. It can also help develop strength, improve posture, and prevent injuries.
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Superficial muscles help with neck and shoulder movements
The back muscles can be categorised into three groups based on their location: superficial back muscles, intermediate back muscles, and intrinsic back muscles. The superficial back muscles are found just under the skin and play a critical role in controlling upper limb movements. These muscles connect the vertebral column to the shoulder girdle and arms, allowing for movements like lifting, pulling, and rotating the arms. They also help with breathing by expanding and contracting the chest when we inhale and exhale.
The superficial muscles of the back allow for movements at the shoulder, while the intermediate muscles elevate and depress the rib cage. The intrinsic back muscles are located deeper in the back and are responsible for stabilising the spine and maintaining posture. These include the rhomboids, which lie beneath the trapezius muscle and provide shoulder stability by pulling the scapula towards the spine.
The neck muscles are a complex structure of bones, muscles, nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissues. They support the head and enable various movements, including chewing, swallowing, and breathing. The neck muscles can be divided into three main groups based on their position: anterior (front), lateral (side), and posterior (back). The posterior group includes the superficial muscles, which help extend and rotate the head. These muscles include the trapezius, splenius capitis, and splenius cervicis.
The trapezius muscle, a large, flat, triangular muscle, is responsible for lateral flexion and contralateral rotation of the head when acting unilaterally, and extension of the head when acting bilaterally. It also stabilises and moves the scapula, with specific movements depending on the contracting muscle part. The splenius muscles, meanwhile, belong to the superficial layer of the deep (intrinsic) back muscles.
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Intermediate muscles help with the movement of the thoracic cage
The back muscles can be categorised into three groups based on their location: superficial back muscles, intermediate back muscles, and intrinsic back muscles. The superficial back muscles are those found just under the skin, while the intrinsic back muscles are located deeper in the back and are responsible for stabilising the spine and maintaining posture.
The intermediate back muscles are located beneath the superficial layer and are primarily involved in respiratory functions, assisting in the movement of the rib cage. They work to elevate and depress the rib cage, increasing and decreasing the volume of the thoracic cavity during respiration. This group includes the serratus posterior superior and the serratus posterior inferior.
The thoracic wall is made up of five muscles: the external intercostal muscles, internal intercostal muscles, innermost intercostal muscles, subcostalis, and transversus thoracis. The internal intercostal muscles form the intermediate layer of the thoracic wall. They extend from the rib above to the one below, in the opposite direction to the external intercostal muscles. This arrangement allows them to depress the ribs and reduce the thoracic volume during forced expiration. The internal intercostal muscles are continuous with the internal oblique muscle of the abdominal wall and are innervated by the intercostal nerves (T1-T11).
The transversus thoracis is located on the internal surface of the thoracic wall and is continuous with the transversus abdominis. It arises from the posterior surface of the inferior sternum and costal cartilage of the lower ribs, attaching to the internal surface of costal cartilages 2-6. This muscle acts as a weak depressor of the ribs during expiration and is innervated by the intercostal nerves (T2-T6).
The subcostal muscles are most developed in the inferior portion of the thoracic wall and have a similar fibre direction to the innermost intercostal muscles. They originate from the inferior surface of the lower ribs and attach to the superior border of the second or third rib below. The subcostal muscles, along with the internal intercostal muscles, stabilise the position of the ribs during normal respiration, depress the ribs, and decrease thoracic volume during forced expiration.
Overall, the intermediate back muscles play a crucial role in respiratory functions by assisting in the movement of the rib cage and changing the volume of the thoracic cavity during respiration.
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Intrinsic muscles are the only true back muscles and are well-developed, large muscles that fuse with the spine
The back is made up of many large and complex muscles that support the trunk and spine. These muscles are essential for everyday life, enabling us to walk, bend, twist, and hold our bodies upright. They also help us breathe by expanding and contracting our chest.
Healthcare providers divide the back muscles into three main groups: superficial (extrinsic), intermediate, and intrinsic (deep). The intrinsic muscles are the only ones considered true back muscles. They are well-developed, large muscles that fuse with the vertebral column, or the bones that support the spine. These deep muscles are enclosed by fascia and are located under the other two layers, closest to the spine.
The intrinsic muscles can be further divided into their own superficial, intermediate, and deep subgroups. These subgroups refer to the location of the muscles relative to each other. For example, the superficial intrinsic muscles are closer to the skin's surface than the intermediate intrinsic muscles. The deep intrinsic muscles lie underneath all the other groups and subgroups.
The three deep muscles of the back include the semispinalis, multifidus, and rotatores. These muscles help stabilise the vertebral column and play a role in maintaining posture and balance. They extend from the skull base to the sacrum, collectively covering the entire back.
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Back muscles are prone to injury, with back pain being a common issue
The back is a complex structure of bones, muscles, cartilage, tendons, and ligaments, supported by a network of blood vessels and nerves. The back muscles are categorised into three groups based on their location: superficial back muscles, intermediate back muscles, and intrinsic back muscles. The superficial extrinsic back muscles are found just under the skin and play a critical role in controlling upper limb movements. They connect the vertebral column to the shoulder girdle and arms, allowing for a wide range of movements like lifting, pulling, and rotating the arms. The intermediate extrinsic back muscles are located beneath the superficial layer and are primarily involved in respiratory functions, assisting in the movement of the rib cage. The intrinsic back muscles are located deeper in the back and are responsible for stabilising the spine and maintaining posture.
Back muscles are prone to injury due to the various important functions they perform. The lumbar, or lower back, bears much of the body's weight during walking, running, lifting, and other activities. The lumbar vertebrae provide stability for the spine, serve as a point of attachment for many muscles and ligaments, and function as the body's centre of balance. With so many important roles, any issue with the structures in the lower back can lead to pain.
Strains and sprains are the most common causes of back pain. Strains are injuries to either a muscle or tendon, while sprains are the stretching or tearing of a ligament. Back strains and sprains can be caused by lifting something too heavy, improper lifting form, overstressing the back muscles, coughing, twisting, bending over, or falling. Chronic strains can result from overuse after prolonged, repetitive movements, while sprains often occur after a sudden twist or blow to the body that forces a joint out of its normal position.
Back pain can also be caused by factors such as high body mass index (BMI), which puts pressure on joints and disks, and poor core strength, where weakened abdominal muscles cannot properly support the spine. Smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, limited physical activity, and occupations or hobbies involving heavy lifting or frequent bending can all increase the risk of back injuries.
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Frequently asked questions
There are three groups of back muscles: superficial, intermediate, and intrinsic (deep) muscles. The superficial and intermediate muscles are also called extrinsic or immigrant muscles.
These are the muscles closest to the surface of the skin. They help with shoulder and neck movements and assist with respiration.
These muscles support the rib cage and play a critical role in breathing. They include the serratus posterior superior and serratus posterior inferior muscles.
These are the deepest layer of back muscles, closest to the spine. They are considered the only true back muscles and are well-developed, large muscles that fuse with the bones supporting the spine.
Back muscles are prone to injury and pain due to their constant use and support of the body's weight. They can be strained, sprained, or torn, leading to debilitating spasms and pain.
