Quick Facts
Origin: Transverse process of atlas (C1).
Insertion: Posterior aspect of occipital bone.
Action: Laterally flexes and extends head.
Innervation: Suboccipital nerve (posterior ramus of first cervical nerve).
Arterial Supply: Vertebral artery and descending branch of occipital artery.
Origin
The obliquus capitis superior muscle originates from the superior aspect of the transverse process of the atlas (first cervical vertebra).
Insertion
The obliquus capitis superior muscle inserts between the inferior and superior nuchal lines of the occipital bone.
Actions
The obliquus capitis superior muscle is involved in multiple actions:
- during unilateral contraction, it laterally flexes the head to the same side at the atlantooccipital joints;
- during bilateral contraction, it extends the head at the atlantooccipital joints (Standring, 2016).
References
Standring, S. (2016) Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice. Gray's Anatomy Series 41st edn.: Elsevier Limited.
