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The neck is a complex structure of bones, muscles, nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissues. There are about 30 neck muscles, extending from the skull and jaw down to the shoulder blades and collarbone. These muscles support and stabilise the head and neck, allowing for a range of movements, including rotating the head and bending the neck. They also assist with vital functions such as chewing, swallowing, breathing, and making facial expressions. Neck muscles can be divided into groups based on their position, such as anterior, lateral, and posterior groups, with further subdivisions like superficial, suboccipital, and transversospinalis muscles. Maintaining good posture and addressing body signals are important for keeping neck muscles healthy and avoiding issues like muscle strains or spasms, which can cause pain and restrict mobility.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of neck muscles | 30 |
| Muscle groups | Anterior, lateral, and posterior |
| Muscle functions | Support and stabilise the head, neck, and upper back; help with chewing, swallowing, breathing, and making facial expressions |
| Muscle types | Infrahyoid, suprahyoid, scalene, lateral, longus colli, superficial, suboccipital, transversospinalis, spinal, sternocleidomastoid, scalenes, trapezius, levator scapulae, erector spinae, paraspinals |
| Common issues | Neck pain, muscle spasms, stiffness, strains, whiplash, polymyalgia rheumatica |
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What You'll Learn
There are about 30 neck muscles
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 extend from the base of the skull and jaw down to the shoulder blades and collarbone. These muscles support and stabilise the head, neck, and the upper part of the spine. They also enable the head to move in multiple directions and assist with chewing, swallowing, breathing, and making facial expressions.
The neck muscles are divided into three main groups based on their position in the neck: anterior, lateral, and posterior. The anterior neck muscles, which are the superficial neck muscles closest to the surface of the neck, are primarily located at the sides of the neck and help with rotation. They also help move the mouth, lower face, and the front of the neck, as well as enabling the neck to angle downward and rotate. The suprahyoid muscles, a type of anterior neck muscle, control the hyoid bone when swallowing or speaking.
The lateral neck muscles, also called the lateral vertebral muscles, pass obliquely along the lateral sides of the neck. They include the anterior, middle, and posterior scalene muscles, which extend between the transverse processes of the cervical vertebrae and the upper two ribs. The scalene muscles also help move the head and stabilise the bones in the neck.
The posterior neck muscles are also grouped into threes: superficial muscles, which help bend the neck; suboccipital muscles, which help rotate the head and bend the neck; and transversospinalis muscles, which extend the head, cervical, and thoracic spine, as well as bending the head, neck, and spine in different directions.
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They support the head and neck
The neck is a complex structure of bones, muscles, nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissues. The neck muscles support the head and neck and enable a range of movements. There are about 30 muscles in the neck, extending from the base of the skull and jaw down to the shoulder blades and collarbone. These muscles stabilise and support the head, neck, and upper back, while also assisting with chewing, swallowing, breathing, and making facial expressions.
The neck muscles are divided into three main groups based on their position: anterior, lateral, and posterior. The anterior neck muscles, located at the front of the neck, help with moving the mouth, lower face, and front of the neck. They also enable downward angling and rotation of the neck. The suprahyoid muscles, a type of anterior neck muscle, control the hyoid bone during swallowing and speaking.
The lateral neck muscles, or lateral vertebral muscles, pass obliquely along the lateral sides of the neck. They include the anterior, middle, and posterior scalene muscles, which extend between the cervical vertebrae and the upper two ribs. These muscles help with inhaling by moving the upper ribs up and down. The scalene muscles also assist in head movement and stabilising the cervical spine.
The posterior neck muscles are further divided into three subgroups: superficial, suboccipital, and transversospinalis. The superficial muscles are strap-like muscles at the back of the neck that help with head extension and rotation. The suboccipital muscles aid in head rotation and neck bending, while the transversospinalis muscles extend the head, cervical spine, and thoracic spine, as well as bending them in different directions.
In addition to these groups, there are other individual neck muscles with specific functions. For example, the longus colli muscle spans the entire length of the cervical spine and upper thoracic spine, aiding in neck flexion. The sternothyroid muscle, located in the muscular triangle of the neck, depresses the hyoid bone and larynx, facilitating breathing and swallowing.
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They help with chewing, swallowing, breathing, and speaking
The human neck contains about 30 muscles, extending from the base of the skull and jaw down to the shoulder blades and collarbone. These muscles support and stabilise the head, neck, and the upper part of the spine. They also help with chewing, swallowing, breathing, and speaking.
Chewing
Neck muscles help with chewing by moving the jaw and stabilising the bones in the neck. The masseter, temporalis, lateral and medial pterygoid muscles help to break down ingested food.
Swallowing
The suprahyoid muscles assist with swallowing by elevating the hyoid bone, a bone at the top of the neck, just below the jawline. The pharyngeal stage of swallowing utilises the most muscles, with coordination from multiple nerves and nerve plexuses. The longitudinal pharyngeal muscles help to elevate the pharynx and larynx during swallowing.
Breathing
The scalene muscles in the neck move the first two ribs up and down so that air can be inhaled. Glossopharyngeal breathing and neck accessory muscle breathing are emergency breathing techniques that can be used in the case of ventilator dependency.
Speaking
The suprahyoid muscles move the hyoid bone during speech. The infrahyoid muscles are four muscles below the hyoid bone that move the larynx (voice box) up and down.
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They are divided into anterior, lateral, and posterior groups
The neck muscles are a complex system of muscles, bones, nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissues. They are responsible for supporting the head and neck and enabling a wide range of movements. There are about 30 muscles in the neck, which can be divided into three main groups based on their position: the anterior (front), lateral (side), and posterior (back) groups.
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. The suprahyoid and infrahyoid muscles, consisting of four muscles each, control the movement of the hyoid bone and the larynx, helping with swallowing, speaking, and breathing. The scalene muscles, meanwhile, help with breathing and head movement, and they stabilize the cervical spine.
The lateral neck muscles, or lateral vertebral muscles, pass obliquely along the lateral sides of the neck. They include the anterior, middle, and posterior scalene muscles, which extend between the transverse processes of the cervical vertebrae and the upper two ribs. These muscles are responsible for ipsilateral flexion of the neck.
The posterior neck muscles connect the skull to the spinal column and pectoral girdle. They can be divided into three layers: the superficial layer, consisting of the trapezius, splenius capitis, and splenius cervicis muscles; the deep layer, which includes the cervical transversospinalis muscles; and the deepest layer, comprising the suboccipital muscles, interspinales cervicis, and intertransversarii colli muscles. These posterior muscles are responsible for extending and rotating the head.
The neck muscles work together to provide support, stability, and a wide range of movements to the head and neck region. Each group of muscles has specific functions and attachments, contributing to the overall flexibility and functionality of the neck.
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Neck muscle strains and injuries are common
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 support and stabilise the head, neck, and upper back. They also enable a wide range of movements, including chewing, swallowing, and breathing, and making facial expressions.
Given the importance of the neck, it is no surprise that neck muscle strains and injuries are common. A neck strain occurs when one or more fibres in a neck muscle or tendon are stretched too far and tear. This can happen due to poor posture, such as holding your head too far forward or tilting it at an odd angle for extended periods, a common issue known as "text neck". It can also be caused by repetitive motions, such as those performed in certain occupations or sports, or by a sudden impact, which may result in whiplash.
The symptoms of a neck strain can range from mild and achy to sharp and debilitating. Most cases are mild or moderate and will resolve within a few days to weeks without requiring medical care. However, severe cases may need medical attention and can take one to three months to fully recover.
If you are experiencing neck pain, there are several treatments you can try. Rest is one of the simplest ways to help your neck heal. Applying ice within the first 48 hours of an injury can help reduce swelling, and heat therapy can be used after that to promote blood flow and healing. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicines, such as ibuprofen or naproxen, can help reduce inflammation and pain. For more serious cases, manual manipulation by a trained medical professional may be required to realign joints and improve the neck's range of motion.
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Frequently asked questions
The main muscle groups of the neck include the spinal muscles, anterior neck muscles, posterior neck muscles, suboccipitals, and superficial neck muscles.
Some examples of neck muscles include the sternocleidomastoid (SCM), scalene, trapezius, levator scapulae, and longus colli.
The neck muscles support the head and enable a range of movements, including forward and backward bending, side bending, and rotation. They also assist with chewing, swallowing, and breathing.
