Anatomy

Blank-Body-for-Web
Take a close look at the above image. Certain muscles attach between each joint in the body and some muscles cross one or more joints in the body. The muscles attached to or crossing a joint can definitely influence that joint's movement and your comfort with that movement.

To learn more about the muscles in a specific area of the body or to learn which muscles cross a certain joint, click the appropriate link below. The following list includes most of the muscles for which you should regularly practice stretching and SMR.
(any inactive links will be live soon)
Muscles of the Shoulder

Muscles of the Back of the Neck

Head & neck (includes parts of the chest, neck & upper back)
The following muscles attach across or to the vertebrae of the neck.
Click the appropriate link for your interest.

Muscles that attach to the head (mastoid or other skull bone) and the neck (cervical vertebrae) and/or head & the torso (thoracic vertebrae and/or ribs)

  1. Sternocleidomastoid
  2. Trapezius
  3. Splenius Capitus
  4. Longissimus Capitus
  5. Semispinalis Capitus


Muscles that attach to the neck (cervical vertebrae) and another area of the spine (cervical or thoracic vertebrae) and/or ribs

  1. Anterior Scalene
  2. Medial Scalene
  3. Posterior Scalene
  4. Splenius Cervicis
  5. Semispinalis Cervicis


Muscles that attach to the head or neck & the shoulder blade (scapula)

  1. Trapezius
  2. Levator Scapulae
Shoulder (includes parts of the chest, upper back & neck)
The following muscles attach across the shoulder joint, to the shoulder blade (scapula) & the ribs, or to the shoulder blade & the upper arm (humerus).
Click the appropriate link for your interest.

Click here to see the all the muscles that attach to the shoulder blade or cross the shoulder joint.
 
Muscles that cross the shoulder joint (attach somewhere in the torso and to the upper arm)

  1. Pectoralis Major & Minor
  2. Latissimus Dorsi


Muscles that attach to the shoulder blade (scapula) & the spine or ribs

  1. Trapezius
  2. Levator Scapulae
  3. Rhomboid Minor
  4. Rhomboid Major
  5. Latissimus Dorsi
  6. Pectoralis Minor
  7. Serratus Anterior


Muscles that attach to the scapula & the arm

  1. Deltoids
  2. Supraspinatus
  3. Infraspinatus
  4. Teres Minor
  5. Subscapularis
  6. Teres Major
  7. Triceps (long head)
  8. Biceps Brachii
  9. Coracobrachialis
  10. Latissimus Dorsi
Upper Arm, Elbow & Wrist
The following muscles attach across the elbow joint, to the upper arm (humerus) & the arm (radius or ulna), or to the arm & the wrist/hand (one or more of the numerous bones in the wrist & hand).
Click the appropriate link for your interest.

Click here to see the biceps muscles as a group.

Click here to view all of the forearm extensors.

Click here to view all of the forearm flexors.

Muscles that cross the elbow joint (attach to the scapula or upper arm and radius or ulna)

  1. Biceps Brachii
  2. Brachialis
  3. Triceps
  4. Brachioradialis


Extensor muscles on the back of the arm that attach below the elbow joint (attach to the radius or ulna) and to bones in either the wrist or hand.

  1. Extensor Carpi Radialis Longus
  2. Extensor Carpi Radialis Brevis
  3. Extensor Digitorum
  4. Extensor Digit Minimi
  5. Extensor Carpi Ulnaris
  6. Extensor Pollicis Brevis
  7. Extensor Pollicis Longus
  8. Anconeus
  9. Abductor Pollicis Longus
  10. Extensor Indicis
  11. Supinator
  12. Brachioradialis


Flexor muscles on the front of the arm that attach below the elbow joint (attach to the radius or ulna) and to bones in either the wrist or hand

  1. Flexor Digitorum Superficialis
  2. Flexor Carpi Radialis
  3. Flexor Carpi Ulnaris
  4. Palmaris Longus
  5. Flexor Pollicis Longus
  6. Pronator Teres
  7. Pronator Quadratus
  8. Brachioradialis
Hip & Lower Back
The following muscle attaches across the middle & lower back to the bottom four ribs and the last two thoracic vertebrae and the top two lumbar vertebrae:

  1. Serratus Posterior Inferior

The following muscles attach across the hip & lower back, or to the hip from above (the spine and/or ribs) or below (the thigh).
Click the appropriate link for your interest.

Click here to see the hip flexors as a muscle group.

Click here to see the adductors as a group.

Muscle that crosses the hip/lower back joint and crosses the hip/thigh joint. (attaches to the spine and the femur)

  1. Psoas


Muscles that attach to the hip and the spine and/or ribs

  1. Rectus Abdominus
  2. External Abdominal Oblique
  3. Internal Abdominal Oblique
  4. Transverse Abdominus
  5. Latissimus Dorsi
  6. Iliocostalis Lumborum
  7. Longissimus Thoracis
  8. Quadratus Lumborum
  9. Multifidi


Muscles that attach to the hip and the thigh bone (femur)

  1. Iliacus
  2. Adductor Magnus
  3. Adductor Longus
  4. Adductor Brevis
  5. Pectineus
  6. Gluteus Maximus
  7. Gluteus Medius
  8. Gluteus Minimus
  9. Piriformis
  10. Superior Gemellus
  11. Obturator Internus
  12. Inferior Gemellus
  13. Obturator Externus
  14. Quadratus Femoris
Thigh
The following muscles attach to the thigh bone (femur) across the hip joint, from the thigh to knee joint, or cross the knee joint from the thigh or hip and cross the thigh.
Click the appropriate link for your interest.

Click here to see the quadriceps as a muscle group.

Click here to see the adductors as a group.

Muscles that attach to the thigh bone from either the spine or hip bone above (attached anywhere on the femur)

  1. Psoas
  2. Iliacus
  3. Rectus Femoris
  4. Tensor Fasciae Latae
  5. Sartorius
  6. Gracilis
  7. Adductor Magnus
  8. Adductor Longus
  9. Adductor Brevis
  10. Pectineus
  11. Gluteus Maximus
  12. Gluteus Medius
  13. Gluteus Minimus
  14. Piriformis
  15. Superior Gemellus
  16. Obturator Internus
  17. Inferior Gemellus
  18. Obturator Externus
  19. Quadratus Femoris
  20. Biceps Femoris
  21. Semitendonosis
  22. Semimembranosis


Muscles that attach to the hip or thigh bone (femur) and the knee cap (patella)

  1. Rectus Femoris
  2. Vastus Medialis Oblique
  3. Vastus Lateralis Oblique
  4. Vastus Intermedius


Muscles that cross or attach to the hip or thigh bone (femur) and attach below the knee joint and DO NOT attach to the knee cap (patella)

  1. Sartorius
  2. Gracilis
  3. Biceps Femoris
  4. Semitendonosis
  5. Semimembranosis
  6. Gastrocnemius
  7. Popliteus
  8. Plantaris
Lower Leg
The following muscles attach across or below the knee.
Click the appropriate link for your interest.

Muscles that cross the knee

  1. Gastrocnemius
  2. Popliteus
  3. Plantaris


Muscles that pass or attach between the knee & ankle

  1. Gastrocnemius
  2. Popliteus
  3. Plantaris
  4. Soleus
  5. Peroneus Longus
  6. Peroneus Brevis
  7. Flexor Digitorum Longus
  8. Flexor Hallucis Longus
  9. Posterior Tibialis
  10. Anterior Tibialis
  11. Extensor Digitorum Longus
  12. Extensor Hallucis Longus
Foot
The following muscles attach in the foot.
Click the appropriate link for your interest.

Muscles that cross the ankle

  1. Flexor Digitorum Longus
  2. Flexor Hallucis Longus
  3. Posterior Tibialis
  4. Peroneus Longus
  5. Peroneus Brevis
  6. Anterior Tibialis
  7. Extensor Digitorum Longus
  8. Extensor Hallucis Longus


Muscles in the bottom of the foot
Click here for an overview of the muscles in the bottom of the foot.

  1. Flexor Digitorum Brevis
  2. Abductor Hallucis
  3. Abductor Digiti Minimi
  4. Flexor Hallucis Brevis
  5. Quadratus Planatae
  6. Lumbricals
  7. Adductor Hallucis
  8. Flexor Digitorum Minimi Brevis
  9. Plantar Interossei


Muscles in the top of the foot

  1. Extensor Digitorum Brevis
  2. Extensor Hallucis Brevis
  3. Dorsal Interossei
**All information is provided for educational purposes only. You should consult your doctor before attempting any exercises you read on this page or any page on this website.**

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