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The neck is a complex structure of bones, muscles, nerves, blood vessels, and other connective tissues. There are about 30 muscles in the neck, which help with everything from chewing and swallowing to moving the head. These muscles are divided into four main groups: anterior, lateral, and posterior, with the anterior group further divided into superficial, suprahyoid, infrahyoid, and scalene muscles. The lateral group controls head movements from the base of the skull, while the posterior group includes superficial, suboccipital, and transversospinalis muscles. The neck muscles are innervated by various cervical nerves, cranial nerves, and their branches, with efferent nerves carrying impulses from the spinal cord to control cervical movements.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of muscles in the neck | 30 |
| Muscle groups | 3-4 |
| Muscle types | Skeletal, voluntary, superficial, suboccipital, transversospinalis, suprahyoid, infrahyoid, scalene, lateral, platysma, sternocleidomastoid, trapezius, erector spinae, deep cervical flexors |
| Functions | Moving the head, chewing, swallowing, breathing, making facial expressions, stabilising the spine and bones in the neck, protecting fragile structures like the carotid artery |
| Location | Front, sides, back of the neck; from the jaw to the collarbone; from below the base of the skull to near the middle of the back, around the shoulder blades |
| Ligaments | Anterior longitudinal ligament (ALL), Posterior longitudinal ligament (PLL) |
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What You'll Learn
- Neck muscles help with chewing, swallowing, breathing, and moving your head
- There are about 30 muscles in the neck
- Neck muscles are skeletal muscles, attached to bones by tendons
- Anterior neck muscles are in four regions: superficial, suprahyoid, infrahyoid, scalene
- Posterior neck muscles include superficial, suboccipital, transversospinalis
Neck muscles help with chewing, swallowing, breathing, and moving your head
The neck is made up of about 30 muscles that allow us to perform a variety of movements. These muscles are skeletal muscles, meaning they are attached to bones by tendons. They are voluntary muscles, so we control how they move and work.
Neck muscles support and stabilise the head, neck, and the upper part of the spine. They also help us chew, swallow, and breathe.
During swallowing, the suprahyoid muscles move the hyoid bone at the top of the neck, just below the jawline. The infrahyoid muscles, which are four muscles below the hyoid bone, move the larynx (voice box) up and down. The suprahyoid and infrahyoid muscles are also involved in speech. The scalene muscles move the first two ribs up and down so we can inhale air when we breathe. They also help move the head and stabilise the bones in the neck (cervical spine). The lateral neck muscles control head movements from the base of the skull, allowing us to twist our heads from side to side and tilt our cervical spine. The suboccipital muscles are just below the occipital bone at the base of the skull and help extend the head in different directions. The transversospinalis muscles help move the head forward and backward and from side to side. They also help stabilise the spine and move the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions of the spine.
In addition to the neck muscles, the glossopharyngeal and neck accessory muscles are also involved in breathing.
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There are about 30 muscles in the neck
The neck is a complex structure of bones, muscles, nerves, blood vessels, lymphatics, and other connective tissues. There are about 30 muscles in the neck, which allow for a wide range of movements and help to stabilise and support the head and upper back. These muscles are skeletal muscles, meaning they are attached to bones by tendons, and are voluntary, so you can control their movement.
Neck muscles are divided into three main groups based on their position in the neck: anterior, lateral, and posterior. The anterior neck muscles are arranged into four distinct regions: superficial, suprahyoid, infrahyoid, and scalene muscles. The superficial muscles are some of the largest in the neck and include the platysma and sternocleidomastoid. The suprahyoid muscles are responsible for moving the hyoid bone when swallowing and speaking. The infrahyoid muscles are found below the hyoid bone and move the larynx up and down. The scalene muscles help with breathing by moving the first two ribs and also stabilise the bones in the neck.
The lateral neck muscles control head movements from the base of the skull, allowing the head to twist and tilt. The posterior neck muscles include the superficial, suboccipital, and transversospinalis muscles. The superficial muscles are strap-like muscles that help extend and rotate the head. The suboccipital muscles are just below the occipital bone at the base of the skull and help extend the head in different directions. The transversospinalis muscles help move the head forward and backward and from side to side, as well as stabilising the spine.
The neck muscles work in conjunction with tendons, ligaments, and bones to enable a wide range of movements and functions, from chewing and swallowing to breathing and making facial expressions.
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Neck muscles are skeletal muscles, attached to bones by tendons
The neck is a complex structure of bones, muscles, nerves, blood vessels, lymphatics, and other connective tissues. The neck muscles are skeletal muscles, which means they are attached to bones by tendons. There are about 30 muscles in the neck, which are divided into three main groups: anterior, lateral, and posterior. These muscles help with a range of movements and functions, from chewing and swallowing to moving the head in all directions.
The anterior neck muscles are arranged into four distinct regions: superficial, suprahyoid, infrahyoid, and scalene muscles. The superficial muscles are some of the largest in the neck and include the platysma and sternocleidomastoid. The suprahyoid muscles are responsible for moving the hyoid bone during swallowing and speech. The infrahyoid muscles consist of four muscles that move the larynx up and down. The scalene muscles help with breathing by moving the first two ribs and also assist in head movement and spine stabilization.
The lateral neck muscles control head movements from the base of the skull, allowing the head to twist and tilt. The posterior neck muscles include superficial, suboccipital, and transversospinalis. The superficial muscles are strap-like muscles that help extend and rotate the head. The suboccipital muscles, located just below the occipital bone at the base of the skull, also assist in head extension and rotation. The transversospinalis muscles enable head movement and spine stabilization.
Neck muscles are voluntary, meaning individuals have control over their movement. However, neck muscle strains can be painful and, in rare cases, may require immediate medical attention. Maintaining good posture and paying attention to the body's signals are important for neck health.
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Anterior neck muscles are in four regions: superficial, suprahyoid, infrahyoid, scalene
The neck muscles are responsible for the movement of the head in all directions and enable us to perform a variety of movements, such as chewing, swallowing, breathing, and making facial expressions. There are about 30 muscles in the neck, which are divided into three main groups: anterior, lateral, and posterior.
The anterior neck muscles are further arranged into four distinct regions: superficial, suprahyoid, infrahyoid, and scalene muscles. The superficial muscles are the most superficial in the anterior neck and include the platysma and sternocleidomastoid. The platysma is a sheet-like muscle that lies within the subcutaneous tissue of the anterior neck and is involved in facial expressions, such as pulling the corners of the mouth inferiorly to produce an expression of sadness. The sternocleidomastoid is a large, two-headed muscle that originates from the clavicle and sternum and ascends diagonally to insert into the mastoid process of the temporal bone.
The suprahyoid muscles are found superior to the hyoid bone, which is located at the top of the neck, just below the jawline. These muscles include the digastric, mylohyoid, geniohyoid, and stylohyoid. They facilitate chewing, swallowing, and phonation, and they stabilize the hyoid bone during these processes. The digastric muscle, for example, has two bellies connected by an intermediate tendon, and it contributes to the formation of the Beclard triangle. The mylohyoid forms the floor of the mouth, while the geniohyoid is a short, triangular muscle located above the digastric and mylohyoid muscles.
The infrahyoid muscles are found inferior to the hyoid bone and consist of the sternohyoid, omohyoid, sternothyroid, and thyrohyoid. These muscles connect the hyoid bone to the larynx, sternum, and scapula, and they are involved in the movement of the thyroid cartilage of the larynx during vocalization, swallowing, and mastication. The sternohyoid, for instance, depresses the hyoid bone and larynx after they have been elevated during swallowing, thus reestablishing breathing. The omohyoid is a narrow muscle composed of two bellies connected by an intermediate tendon, similar to the digastric muscle.
The scalene muscles are involved in respiration and head movements. They move the first two ribs up and down during inhalation and help stabilize the bones in the neck (cervical spine). The three scalene muscles form the floor of the posterior triangle, with the anterior and middle scalenes attaching to the first rib and the posterior scalene attaching to the second rib.
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Posterior neck muscles include superficial, suboccipital, transversospinalis
The neck muscles are categorised into three main groups: anterior (front), lateral (side), and posterior (back). The muscles in the posterior neck are responsible for movements like extending the neck and rotating the head.
Posterior neck muscles include superficial, suboccipital, and transversospinalis muscles. The superficial muscles are strap-like muscles in the back of the neck that help extend and rotate the head. They are some of the largest muscles in the neck.
The suboccipital muscles are a group of four muscles located just below the occipital bone at the base of the skull. They help extend the head in different directions, rotate the head, and provide postural support. The four muscles are the rectus capitis posterior major, rectus capitis posterior minor, obliquus capitis superior, and obliquus capitis inferior.
The transversospinalis muscles help move the head forward and backward, tilt it from side to side, and stabilise the spine. They include the semispinalis capitis, semispinalis cervicis, and multifidus cervicis.
The neck muscles are skeletal muscles, meaning they are attached to bones by tendons. They are voluntary muscles, allowing control over their movement. These muscles help support the head and enable a range of movements, including chewing, swallowing, breathing, and making facial expressions.
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Frequently asked questions
Neck muscles are skeletal muscles that are attached to bones by tendons. They are voluntary muscles that help with chewing, swallowing, breathing, and moving the head.
Neck muscles are located at the front, sides, and back of the neck. They begin just below the skull and extend down to the middle of the back, near the shoulder blades.
There are about 30 muscles in the human neck, divided into three main groups: anterior, lateral, and posterior.
The anterior neck muscles include superficial, suprahyoid, infrahyoid, and scalene muscles. The posterior neck muscles include superficial, suboccipital, and transversospinalis muscles.
Neck muscles stabilize and support the head and upper back. They also enable head movements such as rotation, extension, and flexion. Additionally, they facilitate breathing, swallowing, and facial expressions.
