Superficial and Deep Back Muscles Posterior View

Image Description:

The muscles of the back can be divided into three groups – superficial, intermediate, and deep:

Superficial – associated with movements of the shoulder.

Intermediate – associated with movements of the thoracic cage.

Deep – associated with movements of the vertebral column.

The deep muscles develop embryologically in the back and are thus described as intrinsic muscles. The superficial and intermediate muscles do not develop in the back and are classified as extrinsic muscles.

Image File Sizes:

Anatomy Visible in the Medical Illustration Includes:

Superficial muscles:

Trapezius Deltoid

Latissimus dorsi

Infraspinatus

Teres minor and Teres major

External oblique and Internal oblique

Gluteus medius and Gluteus maximus

Deep muscles:

Splenius capitis

Splenius cervicis

Levator scapulae

Serratus posterius superior

Rhomboideus minor and Rhomboideus minor

Supraspinatus

Infraspinatus

Serratus anterior and Serratus posterior

Iliocostalis lumborum and Iliocostalis thoracis

Longissimus thoracis

Spinalis thoracis

Transversus abdominis

Quadratus lumborum.

Image created by:

Eduard Müller