Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
Identify the following muscles and give their origins, insertions, actions and innervations:
- Axial muscles of the head neck and back
The skeletal muscles are divided into axial (muscles of the trunk and head) and appendicular (muscles of the arms and legs) categories. This system reflects the bones of the skeleton system, which are also arranged in this manner. Some of the axial muscles may seem to blur the boundaries because they cross over to the appendicular skeleton. The first grouping of the axial muscles you will review includes the muscles of the head and neck, then you will review the muscles of the vertebral column, and finally you will review the oblique and rectus muscles.
AXIAL MUSCLES OF THE HEAD NECK AND BACK
Muscles of Facial Expression
The muscles of facial expression originate from the surface of the skull or the fascia (connective tissue) of the face. The insertions of these muscles have fibers intertwined with connective tissue and the dermis of the skin. Because the muscles insert in the skin rather than on bone, when they contract, the skin moves to create facial expression (Figure 11.4.1).
The orbicularis oris is a circular muscle that moves the lips, and the orbicularis oculi is a circular muscle that closes the eye. The occipitofrontalis muscle elevates the scalp and eyebrows. The muscle has a frontal belly and an occipital belly (near the occipital bone on the posterior part of the skull). In other words, there is a muscle on the forehead (frontalis) and one on the back of the head (occipitals). The two bellies are connected by a broad tendon called the epicranial aponeurosis, or galea aponeurosis (galea = “apple”). The physicians originally studying human anatomy thought the skull looked like an apple.
The buccinator muscle compresses the cheek. This muscle allows you to whistle, blow, and suck; and it contributes to the action of chewing. There are several small facial muscles, one of which is the corrugator supercilii, which is the prime mover of the eyebrows. Place your finger on your eyebrows at the point of the bridge of the nose. Raise your eyebrows as if you were surprised and lower your eyebrows as if you were frowning. With these movements, you can feel the action of the corrugator supercilli. Additional muscles of facial expression are presented in Figure 11.4.2.
Muscles That Move the Eyes
The movement of the eyeball is under the control of the extra ocular (extrinsic) eye muscles, which originate from the bones of the orbit and insert onto the outer surface of the white of the eye. These muscles are located inside the eye socket and cannot be seen on any part of the visible eyeball (Figure 11.4.3 and Table 11.3). If you have ever been to a doctor who held up a finger and asked you to follow it up, down, and to both sides, he or she is checking to make sure your eye muscles are acting in a coordinated pattern.
| Muscles of the Eyes (Table 11