Top Basics Need To Know About Back Muscles
Muscles are important parts of the human body as they are the cornerstone of body movement.
Muscles are made of long, thin fibers responsible for the extending and contraction of the muscle. Muscles spread in different parts of the body to perform various functions according to their types.
Some are voluntary, such as legs and hands muscles, and some are involuntary, such as the muscles in the stomach lining.
Back Muscles locate in a sensitive region where they affect the entire movement of the spine, and when you have problems in this region, you feel the pain and difficulty of movement.
Back Muscles Anatomy
Back Muscles Anatomy
There are many different massive and functionally important muscles in the back anatomy involved in the neck and shoulders movement. As well as, the axial skeleton that runs vertically through the back protects the spinal cord, which strengthens almost all the muscles in the body.
Back muscles act together to support the body and protect your spine, so it’s important to take a quick look at all of them to see how you can target them efficiently and develop a strong back.
Back muscles are divided into three main groups:
- Superficial muscles which aid in shoulder and neck movements.
- Intermediate muscles which aid in thoracic cage movements and head flexion.
- Deep muscles which aid in spine movements.
Superficial and intermediate muscles don’t arise from the back and thus classified as extrinsic muscles. Deep muscles arise embryologically from the back and thus classified as intrinsic muscles.
Superficial muscles
Superficial back muscles exist in underneath the skin along with superficial fascia. They are developed from the spine and attached to the shoulder bones, therefore All these muscles help with the upper limb movement.
The muscles belong to this group are the trapezius, the rhomboids, latissimus dorsi, and levator scapulae.
Intermediate muscles
Intermediate back muscles contain two muscles run from the spine to the ribcage and help with elevating and depressing the ribs. They are involved in respiratory function.
The muscles located in this group are the serratus posterior superior and the serratus posterior inferior.
Deep Muscles
Deep back muscles are developed and extended from the sacrum to the base of the skull, they help with spine movements and posture control.
Deep fascia covers the deep muscles and plays an important role in their organization. These muscles are called the intrinsic group because they work specifically on the vertebral column.
Deep muscles subdivided into four smaller groups of muscles as follows; the transversospinales, the erector spinae, and the spinotransversales, and the segmental muscles.
Back Muscles Names
- Superficial muscles
- rhomboid major
- rhomboid minor
- levator scapulae
- trapezius or trapezoid
- latissimus dorsi
- Intermediate muscles
- serratus posterior inferior
- serratus posterior superior
- Deep muscles
- Transversospinales (Semispinalis, Multifidus,and Rotatores)
- Segmental muscles (Levatores costarum, Interspinales, and Intertransversarii)
- Spinotransversales (Splenius capitis, and Splenius cervicis)
- Erector spinae (Iliocostalis, Longissimus, and Spinalis)
Back muscle strength and flexibility are necessary for maintaining a strong back and neutral spine position, So give your back more attention and care.
References:
https://teachmeanatomy.info/back/muscles/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537074/
https://www.kenhub.com/en/library/anatomy/overview-of-back-muscles
https://sciencetrends.com/back-muscles-names-and-diagram/#intermediate-muscle-group
Written by Dr.Shaimaa Khaled
