Suboccipital Muscle Mastery

Which muscle in the suboccipital compartment is the most medial?

Which muscle in the suboccipital compartment has no attachment to the cranium?

What is the floor of the suboccipital triangle?

What is the name of the first cervical vertebra?

Which of the following joints are unique to the cervical spine?

What is the function of the transverse foramina in the cervical vertebrae?

What is the name of the second cervical vertebra?

What type of joint is the atlanto-occipital joint?

Which ligament supports the cervical spine and runs along the anterior surface of the vertebral bodies?

What is the name of the joint created by the articulation between the dens of the axis and the articular facet of the atlas?

Anatomy of the Cervical Spine

The cervical spine consists of seven vertebrae between the cranium and thoracic vertebrae.
The first cervical vertebra (C1) is called the atlas, and the second cervical vertebra (C2) is called the axis.
The cervical vertebrae have a triangular vertebral foramen, bifid spinous process, and transverse foramina.
The atlas has no vertebral body or spinous process, but has an articular facet anteriorly and lateral masses on either side of the vertebral arch.
The axis has a dens that articulates with the articular facet of the atlas, creating the medial atlanto-axial joint.
The cervical spine has symphysis joints between vertebral bodies and synovial joints between vertebral arches.
The atlanto-axial and atlanto-occipital joints are unique to the cervical spine.
The atlanto-axial joints have two lateral plane synovial joints and one medial pivot synovial joint.
The atlanto-occipital joints are condyloid synovial joints that permit flexion at the head.
Ligaments supporting the cervical spine include the anterior and posterior longitudinal ligaments, the tectorial membrane, and the supraspinous ligament.
The transverse foramina provide a passageway for the vertebral artery, vein, and sympathetic nerves except in C7 and the atlas.
The spinal nerves extend through the intervertebral foramen created by the joints at the articular processes, with C7 having a set of spinal nerves extending from above and below the vertebra.

Test Your Knowledge on Suboccipital Muscles: Learn about the four muscles located under the occipital bone and their functions in extending and rotating the head. Challenge yourself with this quiz and enhance your understanding of the anatomy of the neck muscles. Keywords: suboccipital muscles, anatomy, neck muscles, extension, rotation.