Table of muscles of the human body: Torso

This article lists the muscles found in the human torso.

Legend

quadriceps femoris

rectus femoris

vastus lateralis

vastus intermedius

vastus medialis

Example of formatting used in tables to denote muscles and muscle groups.

The following tables of muscles have seven columns:

• Muscle, simply the name of the muscle
• Origin, the fixed attachment point of one end of the muscle that does not move during a muscle contraction (usually a bone)
• Insertion, the opposite attachment point, which does move when the muscle contracts (usually a bone)
• Artery, the main vessel that feeds blood to the muscle
• Innervation, the main nerve that supplies motor control to the muscle
• Action, the visible result of the muscle contraction/relaxation (see biomechanics and human kinetics for more)
• Antagonist, a muscle with the equal but opposite action

Often, a muscle is divided into other muscles; for example, the quadriceps femoris muscle is further subdivided into the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius and vastus medialis. In these cases, the name of the muscle group is italicized and the component muscles are indented. An example appears to the right.

For more information on many of the terms used within these tables, see anatomical terms of location, anatomical terms of motion, medical terminology, list of human anatomical features and outline of human anatomy.

Back

Muscle	Origin	Insertion	Artery	Nerve	Action	Antagonist
erector spinae	on the spines of the last four thoracic vertebrae	both the spines of the most cranial thoracic vertebrae and the cervical vertebrae	lateral sacral artery	posterior branch of spinal nerve	extends the vertebral column	rectus abdominis muscle
iliocostalis			lateral sacral artery
longissimus	transverse process	transverse process	lateral sacral artery	posterior branch of spinal nerve		rectus abdominis muscle
spinalis	spinous process	spinous process	lateral sacral artery	posterior branch of spinal nerve		rectus abdominis muscle
latissimus dorsi	spinous processes of thoracic T6-T12, thoracolumbar fascia, iliac crest and inferior 3 or 4 ribs	floor of intertubercular groove of the humerus	subscapular artery, dorsal scapular artery	thoracodorsal nerve	pulls the forelimb dorsally and caudally	deltoid, trapezius
transversospinales	transverse process	spinous process		posterior branches
semispinalis dorsi	transverse processes of the sixth to the tenth thoracic vertebrae	spinous processes of the upper four thoracic and lower two cervical vertebrae
semispinalis cervicis	transverse processes of the upper five or six thoracic vertebræ	cervical spinous processes, from the axis to the fifth
semispinalis capitis	transversal process of lower cervical and higher thoracal columna	area between superior and inferior nuchal line		greater occipital nerve	Extends the head
multifidus	sacrum, erector spinae aponeurosis, PSIS, and iliac crest	spinous process		posterior branch of spinal nerve	Stabilizes vertebrae in local movements of vertebral column
rotatores	transverse process	spinous process		posterior branch
interspinales	spinous process	spinous process		posterior rami of spinal nerves	Extension, flexion and rotation of vertebral column.
intertransversarii	transverse process	transverse process above		anterior rami of spinal nerves	Lateral flexion of trunk
Splenius muscles
capitis	ligamentum nuchae, spinous process of C7-T6	Mastoid process of temporal and occipital bone		C3, C4	Extend, rotate, and laterally flex the head
cervicis	spinous processes of T3-T6	transverse processes of C1, C2, C3		C5, C6

Suboccipital

Muscle	Origin	Insertion	Artery	Nerve	Action	Antagonist
Rectus capitis muscles
major	spinous process of the axis (C2)	inferior nucheal line of the occipital bone		Dorsal ramus of C1 (suboccipital nerve)
minor	the tubercle on the posterior arch of the atlas	the medial part of the inferior nuchal line of the occipital bone and the surface between it and the foramen magnum		a branch of the dorsal primary division of the suboccipital nerve	extends the head at the neck, but is now considered to be more of a sensory organ than a muscle
Obliquus capitis muscles
inferior	spinous process of the axis	lateral mass of atlas		suboccipital nerve
superior	lateral mass of atlas	lateral half of the inferior nuchal line		suboccipital nerve

Chest

Muscle	Origin	Insertion	Artery	Nerve	Action	Antagonist
intercostales	ribs 1-11	ribs 2-12	intercostal arteries	intercostal nerves
external			intercostal arteries	intercostal nerves	Inhalation	internal
internal	rib - inferior border	rib - superior border	intercostal arteries	intercostal nerves	hold ribs steady	external
innermost			intercostal arteries	intercostal nerves
subcostales	inner surface of one rib	inner surface of the second or third rib above, near its angle		intercostal nerves
transversus thoracis	costal cartilages of last 3-4 ribs, body of sternum, xiphoid process	ribs/costal cartilages 2-6	intercostal arteries	intercostal nerves	depresses ribs
levatores costarum	transverse processes of C7 to T12 vertebrae	superior surfaces of the ribs immediately inferior to the preceding vertebrae		dorsal rami - C8, T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T7, T8, T9, T10, T11	Assists in elevation of the thoracic rib cage
Serratus posterior muscles
inferior	vertebrae T11 - L3	the inferior borders of the 9th through 12th ribs	intercostal arteries	intercostal nerves	depress the lower ribs, aiding in expiration
superior	nuchal ligament (or ligamentum nuchae) and the spinous processes of the vertebrae C7 through T3	the upper borders of the 2nd through 5th ribs	intercostal arteries	2nd through 5th intercostal nerves	elevate the ribs which aids in inspiration
diaphragm			pericardiacophrenic artery, musculophrenic artery, inferior phrenic arteries	phrenic and lower intercostal nerves	respiration

Abdomen

Muscle	Origin	Insertion	Artery	Nerve	Action	Antagonist
transversus abdominis	ribs and the iliac crest	inserts into the pubic tubercle via the conjoint tendon, also known as the falx inguinalis		intercostal nerves T7, T8, T9, T10, T11, subcostal nerve (T12), iliohypogastric nerve, ilioinguinal nerve, genitofemoral nerve	compress the ribs and viscera, providing thoracic and pelvic stability
rectus abdominis	pubis	costal cartilages of ribs 5-7, xiphoid process of sternum	inferior epigastric artery	segmentally by thoraco-abdominal nerves (T7, T8, T9, T10, T11, T12)	flexion of trunk/lumbar vertebrae	erector spinae
pyramidalis	pubic symphysis and pubic crest	linea alba		subcostal nerve (T12)	tensing the linea alba
cremaster	inguinal ligament		cremasteric artery	genital branch of genitofemoral nerve	raise and lower the scrotum
quadratus lumborum	iliac crest and iliolumbar ligament	last rib and transverse processes of lumbar vertebrae	lumbar arteries, iliolumbar artery	anterior branches of T12, L1, L2, L3, L4	Alone, lateral flexion of vertebral column; Together, depression of thoracic rib cage
Oblique muscles
external	Lower 8 costae	Crista iliaca, ligamentum inguinale		intercostal nerves T5, T6, T7, T8, T9, T10, T11, subcostal nerve (T12)	Rotates torso
internal	inguinal ligament, iliac crest and the lumbodorsal fascia	linea alba, xyphoid process and the inferior ribs.		intercostal nerves T8, T9, T10, T11, subcostal nerve (T12), iliohypogastric nerve, ilioinguinal nerve	Compresses abdomen and rotates vertebral column.

Pelvis

Muscle	Origin	Insertion	Artery	Nerve	Action	Antagonist
coccygeus	sacrospinous ligament			sacral nerves: S4, S5 or S3-S4	closing in the back part of the outlet of the pelvis
Levator ani
iliococcygeus	ischial spine and from the posterior part of the tendinous arch of the pelvic fascia	coccyx and anococcygeal raphe		levator ani nerve (S4) inferior rectal nerve from pudendal nerve (S3, S4) coccygeal plexus	supports the viscera in pelvic cavity
pubococcygeus	back of the pubis and from the anterior part of the obturator fascia	coccyx and sacrum				controls urine flow and contracts during orgasm
puborectalis	lower part of the pubic symphysis			S3, S4. levator ani nerve	inhibit defecation

Perineum

Muscle	Origin	Insertion	Artery	Nerve	Action	Antagonist
Scphincter ani
externus				S4 and twigs from inferior anal nerves of pudendal nerve	keep the anal canal and anus closed, aids in the expulsion of the feces
internus				pudendal nerve	keep the anal canal and anus closed, aids in the expulsion of the feces
Superficial perineal pouch
transversus perinei superficialis	anterior part of ischial tuberosity	central point of perineum		pudendal nerve
bulbospongiosus	median raphé		perineal artery	pudendal nerve	in males, empties the urethra; in females, clenches the vagina
ischiocavernosus			perineal artery	pudendal nerve	assists the bulbospongiosus muscle
Deep perineal pouch
transversus perinei profundus	inferior rami of the ischium	its fellow of the opposite side	pudendal nerve
sphincter urethrae membranaceae	junction of the inferior rami of the pubis and ischium to the extent of 1.25–2 cm., and from the neighboring fasciæ	its fellow of the opposite side		perineal branch of the pudendal nerve (S2, S3, S4)	Constricts urethra, maintain urinary continence

General references

• Gosling, J.A.; Harris, P.F.; Humpherson, J.R.; Whitmore, I.; Willan, P.L.T. (2008). Human Anatomy: Color Atlas and Textbook. phot. by A.L. Bentley (5th ed.). Philadelphia: Mosby. ISBN 978-0-7234-3451-1. 
• http://www.meddean.luc.edu/lumen/MedEd/GrossAnatomy/dissector/muscles/muscles.html
• http://www.ptcentral.com/muscles/
• http://www.rad.washington.edu/atlas2/

External links

• Tutorial & Quizzes on Skeletal Muscular Anatomy