Deep Muscles of the Back

There are three groups of back muscles

– Extrinsic back muscles

• Superficial (trapezius, latissimus dorsi, levator scapula,
rhomboids)
• These are upper limb muscles

– Intermediate (serratus posterior superior and inferior)

– Deep muscles (intrinsic back muscles, erector spina)

Serratus posterior superior and inferior

• Serratus posterior superior elevates second to fifth

ribs, which aids deep inspiration.

• The serratus posterior inferior draws the lower ribs

backward and downward to assist in rotation and
extension of the trunk.
– This movement of the ribs also contributes to forced
respiration.
Intrinsic back muscles
• Act to maintain posture and movements of the vertebral
column
• Enclosed as a whole by deep fascia
• They are innerbated by the dorsal rami of the spinal
nerves

Organized in three layers

 Superficial layer
 Intermediate layer (erector spina-sacrospinal muscles)
 Deep layer (transversospinal muscles)
–Intrinsic back muscles (continued)

Superficial layer

• Splenius capitis and splenius cervicis muscles

– Acting alone they laterally bend and rotate the head to

the same side
– Acting together they extend the neck
–Intrinsic back muscles (continued)

Intermediate layer
Arranged in three groups (from lateral to medial)

• Iliocostalis muscles (lumborum, thoracis and cervicis)

• Longissimus muscles (thoracis, cervicis and capitis)
• Spinalis muscles (thoracis, cervicis and capitis)

– Acting alone they laterally bend the vertebral column

– Acting together they extend the vertebral column and the
head
–Intrinsic back muscles (continued)

Deep layer
Arranged in three groups (from superficial to deep)

• Semisipinalis muscles (capitis, cervicis and thoracis)

• Multifidius muscles
• Rotatores muscles

• These muscles function in extending the head and the

vertebral column, as well as rotating the vertebral
column to the opposite side

– Interspinal, intertransverse and levatores costarum muscles

are minor muscles in the deep layer