MUSCLES OF THE VERTEBRAL COLUMN- The system of ligaments in the vertebral column, combined with the tendons and muscles, provides a natural brace to help protect the spine from injury. For More Online Medical Resource, Visit at http://gisurgery.info

1. MUSCLES OF THE
VERTEBRAL COLUMN
Dr.Poonam Kalavadiya
MPT (CardioPulmonary)

2. The craniocervical/upper
thoracic region
• 2 primary role
1. To hold the head upright against gravity
2. To infinitely position the head in space in
order to optimally position the sensory organs
2Muscles of the vertibral column

3. POSTERIOR MUSCLES
• Trapezius muscle is the most superficial of the posterior
muscles
• Spans from the occiput to the lower thoracic spine
• Belongs predominantly to the shoulder region
• Produce extension of the head and neck
• Acting unilaterally,upper trapezius produce ipsilateral lateral
flexion and contralateral rotation of the head and neck
3Muscles of the vertibral column

4. 4Muscles of the vertibral column

5. • Levator scapula is deep to the trapezius
• Runs from the root of spine of the scapula and
courses superiorly,medially and anteriorly to
insert on the cervical transverse process
• It is scapular elevator and downward rotator
when the neck is stable
5Muscles of the vertibral column

6. 6Muscles of the vertibral column

7. 7Muscles of the vertibral column

8. 8Muscles of the vertibral column

9. • When the upper extremity is
stabilized,produce ipsilateral lateral flexion and
rotation of the cervical spine
• Cervical spine is subjected to constant anterior
shear forces caused by the gravity and lordotic
position of the spine
• Levator scapulae help resist these forces
9Muscles of the vertibral column

10. • Treatment for overactivity of levator scapula muscle
• Conventional treatment often involves stretching this
strained muscle
• Porterfield and Derosa cuationed that stretching this
muscle worsen the situation and cuase further
irritation,because it will decrease the muscle’s ability
to control the anterior shear if it is overly lengthened
• So levator scapulae need the endurance and strength
training
10Muscles of the vertibral column

11. • Slenius capitis and splenius cervicis muscle are deep to
the levator scapulae
• Running from the spinous processes of the cervical
and thoracic spine and the ligamentum nuchae to the
superior nuchal line,the mastoid process and the
cervical transverse processes
• Produce extension when working bilaterally and
ipsilateral rotation when working unilaterally
11Muscles of the vertibral column

12. 12Muscles of the vertibral column

13. • Semispinalis capitis and semispinalis cervicis are the
deep to the splenius group
• Produce extension of the head and neck
• Run from the occiput to the cervical spinous process-
semispinalis capitis
• Thoracic transverse process to the cervical spinous
processes-semispinalis cervicis
• Porterfield and Derosa linkened the function of
semispinalis group to that of the multifidus muscles in
the lumber region in that they have optimal alignment
and moment arm to increasing the lordosis of the
cervical and lumber region,respectively
13Muscles of the vertibral column

14. 14Muscles of the vertibral column

15. • Longissimus capitis and longissimus cervicis are
deep and lateral to the semispinalis group
• Lateral position allows them to produce
ipsilateral lateral flexion when working
unilaterally.
15Muscles of the vertibral column

16. • Suboccipital muscles are the deepest posterior
muscles and consist of the rectus capitus
posterior minor and major,inferior oblique and
superior oblique muscles
• As a group they run between occiput and C2
and produce occipital extension
• Unilaterally ,they produce ipsilateral rotation
and lateral flexion
16Muscles of the vertibral column

17. 17Muscles of the vertibral column

18. LATERAL MUSCLES
• Scalene muscles are located on the lateral aspect of
the cervical spine.
• Anterior scalene muscles,runs from the first rib to
the anterior tubercles of the transeverse process of
C3 to C6
• Working bilaterally,flex the cervical spine and
produce the anterior shear
18Muscles of the vertibral column

19. 19Muscles of the vertibral column

20. • Unilaterally,will produce ipsilateral lateral
flexion and contralateral rotation of the
cervical spine
• Middle scalene muscles run from the first rib
to the anterior tubercle of the transverse
process of C3 to C7
• More laterally placed than the anterior scalene.
20Muscles of the vertibral column

21. • The posterior scalene muscle run from the second rib
to the posterior tubercles of the transeverse process
of the C3 to C7
• Posterior scalene laterally flex the neck
• The anterior and middle scalene muscles form a
triangle through which brachial plexus and subclavian
artery and vein pass
• Can be the site for compression on the neurovascular
structures by the anterior scalene muscle
21Muscles of the vertibral column

22. • Sternocleidomastoid muscle run from the
sternum,distal clavical and acromion to the
mastoid process
• The angle of inclination is posterior,medial and
superior
• Acting unilaterally,will produce ipsilateral
lateral flexion and contralateral rotation of the
head and neck
22Muscles of the vertibral column

23. ANTERIOR MUSCLES
• The longus capitis run from the anterior tubercle of
the cervical transverse process to the occiput
• The longus colli run from the thoracic vertebral
bodies to the anterior tubercles of the cervical
transeverse process and cranially from the anterior
tubercles of the transeverse process to atlas
23Muscles of the vertibral column

24. 24Muscles of the vertibral column

25. 25Muscles of the vertibral column

26. • Produce the flexion
• Longus capitis and longus colli work in synergy
with the trapezius to stabilize the head and
neck to allow to upward rotate the scapula
• Rectus capitis anterior and rectus capitis
lateralis are able to produce the flexion
26Muscles of the vertibral column

27. CERVICAL SPONDYLOSIS
• Cervical spondylosis is a chronic degenerative
condition of the cervical spine that affects the
vertebral bodies and intervertebral disks of the neck
(in the form of, for example, disk herniation and spur
formation), as well as the contents of the spinal canal
(nerve roots and/or spinal cord). the degenerative
changes in the facet joints, longitudinal ligaments, and
ligamentum flavum.
27Muscles of the vertibral column

28. DEGERATIVE DICS DISEAES
• The process is thought to begin in the annulus fibrosis
with changes to the structure and chemistry of the
concentric layers
• Over time these layers suffer a loss of water content
and proteoglycan,which changes the dics’s mechanical
properties,making it less resilient to stress and strain
28Muscles of the vertibral column

29. JOINT DEGENERATIVE
DISEASE:FACET
• Changes in dics stucture and function can lead
to changes in the articular facets,especially
hypertrophy resulting from the redirection of
compressive loads from the anterior and middle
colums to the posterior element
29Muscles of the vertibral column

30. – There also may be hypertrophy of the vertebral
bodies adjacent to the degenerating disc,these
bony overgrowth are known as osteophytes or the
bony spurs
30Muscles of the vertibral column

31. • Radiation of pain from the shoulder to digit
along the course of the nerve indicates nerve
root compression
• Paraesthesia in the form of the tingling,pins
and needles may be present in the hand
31Muscles of the vertibral column

32. CERVICALSPONDYLOSIS
WITH MYELOPATHY
• Cervical spondylotic myelopathy is the most
common cause of spinal cord dysfunction in
older persons. The aging process results in
degenerative changes in the cervical spine that,
in advanced stages, can cause compression of
the spinal cord.
32Muscles of the vertibral column

33. • Clinical Presentation of Cervical Spondylotic
Myelopathy
Common symptoms
Clumsy or weak hands
Leg weakness or stiffness
Neck stiffness
Pain in shoulders or arms
Unsteady gait
33Muscles of the vertibral column

34. • Common signs
Atrophy of the hand musculature
Hyperreflexia
Lhermitte's sign (electric shock-like
sensation down the center of the back
following flexion of the neck)
Sensory loss
34Muscles of the vertibral column

35. CERVICAL RIB
• Cervical Rib refers to an abnormal protrussion in the cervical region which
can either be due to abnormal enlargement of the transverse process of C7
• congenital abnormality located above the normal first rib
• A cervical rib is present in only about 1 in 200 (0.5%) of people
• in even rarer cases, an individual may have not one but two cervical ribs.
• The presence of a cervical rib can cause a form of thoracic outlet
syndrome due to compression of the brachial plexus or subclavian artery.
35Muscles of the vertibral column

36. • Pain and paraesthesiae may be present on ulnar
aspect of the forearm and hand
• Weakness of the finer movement of the hand
may be present
• Atrophy may be present in interossei and the
muscles of the thenar and hypothenar eminence
at a later stage
• Absent or feeble radial pulse
36Muscles of the vertibral column

37. 37Muscles of the vertibral column