Suboccipital muscles

The suboccipital muscles are a group of muscles defined by their location to the occiput. Suboccipital muscles are located below the occipital bone. These are four paired muscles on the underside of the occipital bone; the two straight muscles (rectus) and the two oblique muscles (obliquus).

Suboccipital muscles
Suboccipital muscles.   Rectus capitis posterior major muscle   Rectus capitis posterior minor muscle   Obliquus capitis superior muscle   Obliquus capitis inferior muscle
Details
Identifiers
Latin	musculi suboccipitales
TA98	A04.2.02.001
TA2	2248
FMA	71439
Anatomical terms of muscle

The muscles are named

• Rectus capitis posterior major goes from the spinous process of the axis (C2) to the occipital bone.
• Rectus capitis posterior minor goes from the middle of the posterior arch of the atlas to the occiput.
• Obliquus capitis superior goes from the transverse process of the atlas to the occiput.
• Obliquus capitis inferior goes from the spine of the axis vertebra to the transverse process of the atlas.

They are innervated by the suboccipital nerve.

Additional images

• 
  Position of suboccipital muscles. Animation.
• 
  Close up. Seen from below.
• 
  Still image.

See also

• Suboccipital triangle