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Axial Musculature in Anatomy & Physiology

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Terms in this set (20)

  • What is the axial musculature and its primary functions?
    Axial musculature arises on the axial skeleton and functions to position the head and vertebral column and move the rib cage. It does not move or stabilize the pectoral or pelvic girdles or limbs.
  • What percentage of skeletal muscles are axial muscles?
    Roughly 60 percent of the skeletal muscles in the body are axial muscles.
  • Into how many groups are axial muscles divided based on location or function?
    Axial muscles are divided into four groups: muscles of the head and neck, muscles of the vertebral column, oblique and rectus muscles, and muscles of the pelvic floor.
  • What are the main functions of muscles of the head and neck?
    They control facial expression, whistling, sucking, chewing, swallowing, and eye muscle contractions.
  • Name the subdivisions of the muscles of the head and neck.
    Muscles of facial expression, extraocular muscles, muscles of mastication, muscles of the tongue, muscles of the pharynx, and anterior muscles of the neck.
  • What are the three layers of back muscles in the vertebral column?
    Superficial layer moves the neck, intermediate layer extends the vertebral column, and deep layer interconnects vertebrae.
  • Differentiate extrinsic and intrinsic muscles of the vertebral column.
    Extrinsic muscles are in the superficial and intermediate layers; intrinsic (true) muscles are in the deepest layer and arranged in superficial, intermediate, and deep layers.
  • What is the role of the oblique muscles in the axial musculature?
    Oblique muscles compress underlying structures or rotate the vertebral column depending on unilateral or bilateral contraction.
  • What is the function of the rectus muscles in the axial musculature?
    Rectus muscles are important flexors of the vertebral column and act in opposition to the erector spinae muscles.
  • What is the diaphragm's role in the axial musculature?
    The diaphragm is a major muscle of respiration that separates the thoracic and abdominal cavities.
  • What are the three main functions of the muscles of the perineum and pelvic diaphragm?
    Support pelvic cavity organs, flex sacrum and coccyx joints, and control movement through the urethra and anus.
  • Name the muscles involved in facial expression.
    Includes frontalis, orbicularis oculi, orbicularis oris, buccinator, zygomaticus major and minor, platysma, and others.
  • What muscles control eye movement?
    Extraocular muscles: superior rectus, inferior rectus, lateral rectus, medial rectus, superior oblique, and inferior oblique.
  • What are the muscles of mastication?
    Masseter, temporalis, lateral pterygoid, and medial pterygoid muscles.
  • What is the function of the masseter muscle?
    Elevates the mandible to close the jaw during chewing.
  • Which muscles form the tongue musculature?
    Includes genioglossus, hyoglossus, styloglossus, and palatoglossus muscles.
  • What muscles are involved in swallowing?
    Muscles of the pharynx such as superior, middle, and inferior pharyngeal constrictors, palatopharyngeus, salpingopharyngeus, and stylopharyngeus.
  • What are the anterior muscles of the neck?
    Includes sternocleidomastoid, suprahyoid muscles (digastric, mylohyoid), and infrahyoid muscles (sternohyoid, omohyoid).
  • What is the function of the sternocleidomastoid muscle?
    Flexes the neck and rotates the head to the opposite side.
  • What is the erector spinae group?
    A group of intrinsic back muscles that extend the vertebral column and maintain posture.