Frontalis • Raises eyebrows

• Wrinkles forehead
Occipitalis • Draws scalp posteriorly
Corrugator supercilli • Draws eyebrows medially
Levator palpebrae puperioris • Opens the eye
Orbicularis occuli • Closes the eye
Nasalis • Wrinkles the skin of the nose
Levator labii superioris • Raises upper lip
Zygomaticus minor
Zygomaticus major • Raises angle of mouth; smiling
Risorius • Draws angle of mouth laterally;
grimacing
Buccinator • Compresses the cheeks against
the teeth; blowing, sucking
• Assist in mastication
Orbicularis oris • Protrudes lip; kissing
• Closes mouth
Levator anguli superioris • Draws angle of mouth laterally
and superiorly
Depressor anguli inferioris • Draws angle of mouth laterally
and inferiorly; opening the
mouth
Depressor labii inferioris • Depresses lower lip
Mentalis • Elevates and protrudes upper lip
and pulls skin of chin up; pouting
Platysma • Draws outer part of lower lip
posteriorly and inferiorly; pouting
• Depresses mandible
Muscles of Mastication

Temporalis • Depresses and retract the

mandible
Masseter • Elevates mandible; closing the
mouth
Medial pterygoid • Elevates and protracts
mandible; closing the mouth
• Moves mandible from side to
side
Lateral pterygoid • Depresses and protracts
mandible; opening the mouth
• Moves mandible from side to
side
Suprahyoid

Digastric • Elevates hyoid bone

• Depresses mandible
Stylohyoid • Elevates hyoid bone and draws
it posteriorly
Mylohyoid • Elevates floor of the mouth and
hyoid bone
• Depresses mandible
Geniohyoid • Elevates hyoid bone
• Draws hyoid bone and tongue
anteriorly
• Depresses the mandible
Infrahyoid

Omohyoid • Depresses hyoid bone

Sternohyoid
Sternothyroid • Depresses thyroid cartilage of
larynx
Thyrohyoid • Depresses the hyoid bone
• Elevates thyroid cartilage of
larynx
Anterior

Rectus Abdominis • Flexes vertebral column

• Compresses abdomen
External Oblique • Compresses abdomen
• Lateral flexion of the trunk
Internal Oblique • Compresses abdomen
• Lateral flexion of trunk
• Rotation of trunk
Transversus Abdominis • Compresses abdomen
Diaphragm • Aids in respiration
• Contraction: increases vertical
dimension of lungs; inhalation
• Relaxation: decrease vertical
dimension of thoracic cavity;
exhalation
External Intercostal • Expand thorax; inspiration
Internal Intercostal • Compress thorax; expiration
Innermost Intercostal • Compress thorax
Pectoralis Minor • Depresses scapula
 • Abducts scapula; moves
scapula closer to thoracic wall
Pectoralis Major • Adducts arm
• Medially rotates the arm
Serratus Anterior • Protracts/Abducts scapula
Posterior

Serratus Posterior • Elevate ribs

Trapezius • Extend the head
• Shoulder elevation
Levator Scapulae • Raises scapula
Erector Spinae • Maintains erect posture
• Iliocostalis • Extends vertebral column
• Longissimus
• Spinalis
Rhomboideus • Retract scapula
• Rhomboid Major
• Rhomboid Minor
Latissimus Dorsi • Adducts the arm
• Extends the shoulders
Teres Major • Extends shoulders, brachium
• Adduct shoulders
Teres Minor • Externally rotates arm
Infraspinatus • Rotates arm laterally
Supraspinatus • Abducts arm
Subscapularis • Medially rotates arm
• Prevents humerus from
dislocation
• Gleconumeroid joint
Arm (Anterior)

Deltoid • Abducts arms (primary

abductor)
• Flexes and extends shoulders
Biceps Brachii • Flexes elbow (primary flexor)
• Supinates arm
Brachialis • Flexes forearm and elbow joint
Brachioradialis
Pronator Teres • Pronates forearm at radioulnar
joint
Supinator • Supinates forearm at
radioulnaris joint
 Triceps Brachii • Extends elbow (primary
extensor)
Coracobrachialis • Flex shoulder (together with
brachial brachialis)
• Adduct arms
Forearm

Extensor carpi radialis longus • Extends and abducts wrist

Extensor carpi radialis brevis (posterior)
Extensor carpi ulnaris longus • Extends and adducts wrist
Extensor carpi ulnaris brevis
Extensor digitorum • Extends fingers; abduction
• Interphalangeal joint (medial
and distal phalanges)
• Metacarpophalangeal joint (
proximal phalanx)
Flexor carpi radialis • Flex wrist on radial side; abduct
(anterior)
Flexor carpi ulnaris • Flex wrist on ulnar side; adduct
Flexor digitorum • Flex wrist and phalanges
• Interphalangeal joint (medial
and distal phalanges)
• Metacarpophalangeal joint (
proximal phalanx)
Palmaris longus • Weakly flexes hand at wrist joint
Thenar
Flexor pollicis longus • Flexes thumb at
carpometacarpal and
metacarpophalangeal joint
Extensor Pollicis Longus • Extends thumb at
carpometacarpal joint and
metacarpophalangeal
Abductor Pollicis Brevis • Abducts thumb at
carpometacarpal joint
Opponens pollicis • Moves thumb to any finger at
carpometacarpal
Hypothenar
Abductor Digiti Minimi • Abducts and flexes little finger
at metacarpophalangeal joint

Flexor digiti minimi brevis • Abducts and flexes little finger

at metacarpophalangeal and
carpometacarpal joint
 Extensor digiti minimi brevis • Extends and flexes little finger
Opponens Digiti Minimi • Moves little finger to meet
thumb at carpometacarpal
joint

Intermediate
Lumbricals (1st-4th) • Flex each finger at
metacarpophalangeal joint

Palmar Interossei (1st-3rd) • Adducts and flex fingers

(except 3rd) at
metacarpophalangeal joint
Dorsal Interossei • Abducts and flex fingers (2nd-
4th) at metacarpophalangeal
joint
Lower Extremities
Sartorius • Flexes thigh
• Laterally rotates thigh
• Flexes knee
Gracillis • Adducts thigh at hip joint
Pectineus • Medially rotates thigh
• Flexes leg at knee joint
Adductor
Magnus • Adduct, flex, and laterally
Longus rotate thigh (synergists in thigh
Brevis extensions)
Iliopsoas
Psoas Major • Flexion of thigh at hip joint
Iliacus • Rotates thigh laterally
Gluteal Maximus • Extends thigh at hip joint
• Laterally rotates thigh
Gluteal Medius • Abducts thigh at hip joint
Gluteal Minimus • Medially rotates thigh
Tensor Fascia Latae • Flexes and abducts thigh at hip
joint
Quadriceps Femoris

Rectus Femoris • Extends knee and flexes thigh

Vastus Lateralis • Extends knee
Vastus Medialis
Vastus Intermedius
Hamstring
Biceps femoris • Extends thigh
 • Flexes knee

Semitendinosus • Extends thigh

Semimembranosus • Flexes knee (hinge joint)
• Rotates leg medially
Gastrocnemius • Plantar flexes foot at ankle joint
Plantaris • Flexes leg at knee joint
Soleus • Plantar flexes at ankle joint
Tibialis Anterior • Dorsiflexes foot; inversion
(inward rotation)
Tibialis Posterior • Plantar flexes; inversion
• Intertarsal joint
Popletius • Flexes leg at knee joint
• Medially rotates tibia
Flexor digitorum longus • Plantar flexes at ankle joint
• Flexes distal and middle
phalanges of each toe at
interphalangeal joints
Flexor digiti minimi brevis • Flexor digiti minimi brevis
Flexor digitorum brevis • Flexes toes II–V at proximal
interphalangeal and
metatarsophalangeal joints.

Flexor hallucis longus • Flexes Great Toe at

metatarsophalangeal joint
Flexor hallucis brevis • Plantar flexes foot at ankle joint;
flexes distal phalanx of
great
toe at interphalangeal
joint and proximal phalanx of
great toe at
metatarsophalangeal joint

Peroneus • Plantar flexes at ankle joint

• Everts foot (outward rotation) at
intertarsal joints
Piriformis • Laterally rotates
Obturator internus • Abducts thigh at hip joint
Obturator externus
Extensor hallucis longus • Dorsiflexes foot at ankle joint
• Extends distal phalanx of
great
toe at interphalangeal
joint and proximal phalanx of
 great toe at
metatarsophalangeal joint
Extensor hallucis brevis • Extends great toe at
metatarsophalangeal joint
Extensor digitorum longus • Dorsiflexes foot at ankle joint
• Extends distal and middle
phalanges of each toe at
interphalangeal joints
Fibularis tertius • Dorsiflexes foot at ankle joint
• Everts(pronates) foot at
intertarsal joints
Fibularis brevis • Plantar flexes foot at ankle joint
Fibularis longus • Everts (pronates) foot at
intertarsal joint
Extensor digitorum brevis • Extends toes II–V at proximal
interphalangeal joint
Extensor hallucis brevis • Extends great toe at
metatarsophalangeal joint
Abductor hallucis • Abducts and flexes great toe at
metatarsophalangeal joint
Abductor digiti minimi • Abducts and flexes little toe at
metatarsophalangeal joint
Adductor hallucis • Adducts and flexes great toe at
metatarsophalangeal joint

Quadratus plantae • Assists flexor digitorum longus to

only flex toes II-IV at
interphalangeal joint at
metatarsophalangeal joint

Lumbricals • Extends toes II-IV at

interphalangeal joints and flex
toes II-IV at
metatarsophalangeal joint
Dorsal interossei • Abduct and flex toes II-IV at
metatarsophalangeal joint and
extends toes at interphalangeal
joint
Plantar Interossei • Adduct and flex proximal
metatarsophalangeal joints and
extends toes at interphalangeal
joints.