suboccipital muscle

Introduction

A group of muscles located immediately below the occipital bone.

Includes:

• rectus capitis muscles
  • rectus capitis anterior
  • rectus capitis posterior major
  • rectus capitis posterior minor
  • rectus capitis lateralis
• obliquus capitis muscles
  • obliquus capitis superior
  • obliquus capitis inferior

Action

primarily organs of proprioception

Innervation

suboccipital nerve

More specific terms

• obliquus capitis inferior
• obliquus capitis superior
• rectus capitis anterior (rectus capitis anticus minor)
• rectus capitis lateralis
• rectus capitis posterior major (rectus capitis posticus major)
• rectus capitis posterior minor (rectus capitis posticus minor)