Muscles of the Shoulder and Upper Arm
TRAPEZIUS Greek, trapezoides, table shaped. The left and right trapezius, viewed as a whole, create a trapezium in shape, thus giving this muscle its name. Origin Base of skull (occipital…
Muscles of the Hip and Thigh
GLUTEUS MAXIMUS Posterior view, right leg. Greek, gloutos, buttocks; maximus, biggest. The gluteus maximus is the most coarsely fibred and heaviest muscle in the body, forming the bulk of the…
Muscles of the Trunk
ERECTOR SPINAE (SACROSPINALIS) Latin, sacrum, sacred; spinalis, spinal. The erector spinae, also called sacrospinalis, comprises three sets of muscles organised in parallel columns. From lateral to medial, they are: iliocostalis,…
Muscles of the Forearm and Hand
PRONATOR TERES Anterior view, right arm. Latin, pronate, bent forward; teres, rounded, finely shaped. Origin Humeral head: Common flexor origin on the anterior aspect of the medial epicondyle of humerus,…
Muscles of the Leg and Foot
TIBIALIS ANTERIOR Anterior view, right leg. Latin, tibia, pipe or flute, shinbone; anterior, before. Origin Upper half of lateral and anterior surface of tibia (including lateral condyle of tibia). Insertion…
Muscles of the Face, Head and Neck
EPICRANIUS (OCCIPITOFRONTALIS) Greek, epi-, above, upon; cranium, skull. This muscle is effectively two muscles (occipitalis and frontalis), united by an aponeurosis called the galea aponeurotica, so named because it forms…
The Moving Body
Anatomical Directions To describe the relative position of body parts and their movements, it is essential to have a universally accepted initial reference position. The standard body position known as…
