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Rectus capitis lateralis
Other Terms:
Lateral rectus capitis,
Musculus rectus capitis lateralis,
Muscle droit latéral de la tête
Muscle parts
None
Latin name
Musculus rectus capitis lateralis
Latin muscle parts
None
Group
Cervical wall – lateral musculature – middle layer (Suboccipital)
Etymology
The English name for this muscle is the straight muscle of the head at the side. The word rectus is Latin for “straight.”The word capitis comes from the Latin caput meaning “head.”Lateral is from the Latin latus meaning “side.”
Origin
Superior margin of the transverse process of the atlas
Insertion
Jugular process of the occipital bone
Action
Weakly assists with lateral flexion of the head. Probably is a postural muscle that helps monitor the heads position and movement.
Nerve supply
Branches of the cervical ventral rami (C1 and C2)
Blood supply
The muscle receives blood from the ascending cervical artery, which is a small branch of the inferior thyroid artery from the thyrocervical trunk of the subclavian artery. It also receives blood from the muscular branches of the vertebral artery. The muscle also receives small muscular branches from the occipital artery as it passes it lateral aspect.
Latin
Musculus rectus capitis lateralis
French
Muscle droit latéral de la tête