Name of Muscle Actions Origin Insertion
Epicranius frontalis Elevates eyebrows, wrinkles skin of Galea aponeurotica Skin of eyebrows and
forehead nose
Epicranius occipitalis Draws scalp posteriorly, fixes Occipital bone, mastoid process Galea aponeurotica
aponeurosis
Orbicularis oris Closes lips, compresses lips against Muscle fibers surrounding Skin at corner of
teeth, protrudes lips, shapes lips opening of mouth mouth
during speech, “kissing muscle”
Zygomaticus Draws angle of mouth superiorly and Zygomatic bone Skin and muscle at
laterally (smiling) corner of mouth
Buccinator Presses cheeks against teeth and lips Molar region of maxilla and Orbicularis oris
(whistling, blowing, sucking), draws mandible
corner of mouth laterally, keeps food
between teeth
Head, Face & Neck
Platysma Draws outer part of lower lip Fascia over deltoid and Lower margin of
inferiorly and posteriorly (pouting), pectoralis major mandible, skin and
depresses mandible muscle around angle
of mouth
Orbicularis oris Closes eye Frontal and maxillary bones, Tissue of upper
ligaments around orbit eyelid
Levator palpabrae Opens eye Roof of orbit Skin of upper eyelid
superioris
Masseter Elevates mandible Zygomatic bone and arch Angle and ramus of
mandible
Temporalis Elevates and retracts mandible Temporal, frontal and parietal Coronoid process of
bones (temporal fossa) mandible
Sternocleidomastoid Together: flex cervical vertebrae and Manubrium of sternum and Mastoid process and
head; singly: laterally flex and rotate medial part of clavicle occipital bone
head (superior nuchal line)
Splenius Together: extend head, singly: Ligamentum nuchae, spinous Occipital bone,
laterally flex and rotate head processes of C7-T6 mastoid process,
transverse processes
of C2-C4
, Rectus abdominis Flexes vertebral column, compresses Pubic crest and symphysis Costal cartilage of
abdomen, stabilizes pelvis 5th-7th ribs, xiphoid
process
External oblique Together: compress abdomen, flex Outer surface of inferior 8 ribs Linea alba, iliac crest,
vertebral column; singly: laterally flex pubic crest
Abdomen
and rotate vertebral column
Internal oblique Together: compress abdomen, flex Iliac crest, inguinal ligament, Linea alba, pubic
vertebral column; singly: laterally flex lumbar fascia crest, cartilage of
and rotate vertebral column last few ribs
Transversus Compress abdomen Iliac crest, inguinal ligament, Linea alba, pubic
abdominis lumbar fascia, cartilages of crest
inferior 6 ribs
Diaphragm Inspiration Inferior internal surface of Central tendon
ribcage and sternum, costal
cartilages of inferior 6 ribs,
Breathing
lumbar vertebrae
External intercostals Elevate ribs during inspiration Inferior border of rib above Superior border of rib
below
Internal intercostals Draw ribs together during forced Superior border of rib below Inferior border of rib
expiration above
Pectoralis major Flexes arm (PM), adducts arm, Clavicle, sternum cartilages of Greater tubercle of
medially rotates arm first 6 or 7 ribs, aponeurosis of humerus
external oblique
Thorax & Back
Pectoralis minor Draws scapula forward and downward 3rd-5th ribs Coracoid process of
when ribs fixed, elevates 3rd-5th ribs scapula
during forced expiration when scapula
is fixed
Serratus anterior Holds scapula against chest wall, Superior 8 or 9 ribs Anterior surface of
rotates scapula, important to vertebral border of
stabilize shoulder for arm movements scapula
(pushing, punching)
Epicranius frontalis Elevates eyebrows, wrinkles skin of Galea aponeurotica Skin of eyebrows and
forehead nose
Epicranius occipitalis Draws scalp posteriorly, fixes Occipital bone, mastoid process Galea aponeurotica
aponeurosis
Orbicularis oris Closes lips, compresses lips against Muscle fibers surrounding Skin at corner of
teeth, protrudes lips, shapes lips opening of mouth mouth
during speech, “kissing muscle”
Zygomaticus Draws angle of mouth superiorly and Zygomatic bone Skin and muscle at
laterally (smiling) corner of mouth
Buccinator Presses cheeks against teeth and lips Molar region of maxilla and Orbicularis oris
(whistling, blowing, sucking), draws mandible
corner of mouth laterally, keeps food
between teeth
Head, Face & Neck
Platysma Draws outer part of lower lip Fascia over deltoid and Lower margin of
inferiorly and posteriorly (pouting), pectoralis major mandible, skin and
depresses mandible muscle around angle
of mouth
Orbicularis oris Closes eye Frontal and maxillary bones, Tissue of upper
ligaments around orbit eyelid
Levator palpabrae Opens eye Roof of orbit Skin of upper eyelid
superioris
Masseter Elevates mandible Zygomatic bone and arch Angle and ramus of
mandible
Temporalis Elevates and retracts mandible Temporal, frontal and parietal Coronoid process of
bones (temporal fossa) mandible
Sternocleidomastoid Together: flex cervical vertebrae and Manubrium of sternum and Mastoid process and
head; singly: laterally flex and rotate medial part of clavicle occipital bone
head (superior nuchal line)
Splenius Together: extend head, singly: Ligamentum nuchae, spinous Occipital bone,
laterally flex and rotate head processes of C7-T6 mastoid process,
transverse processes
of C2-C4
, Rectus abdominis Flexes vertebral column, compresses Pubic crest and symphysis Costal cartilage of
abdomen, stabilizes pelvis 5th-7th ribs, xiphoid
process
External oblique Together: compress abdomen, flex Outer surface of inferior 8 ribs Linea alba, iliac crest,
vertebral column; singly: laterally flex pubic crest
Abdomen
and rotate vertebral column
Internal oblique Together: compress abdomen, flex Iliac crest, inguinal ligament, Linea alba, pubic
vertebral column; singly: laterally flex lumbar fascia crest, cartilage of
and rotate vertebral column last few ribs
Transversus Compress abdomen Iliac crest, inguinal ligament, Linea alba, pubic
abdominis lumbar fascia, cartilages of crest
inferior 6 ribs
Diaphragm Inspiration Inferior internal surface of Central tendon
ribcage and sternum, costal
cartilages of inferior 6 ribs,
Breathing
lumbar vertebrae
External intercostals Elevate ribs during inspiration Inferior border of rib above Superior border of rib
below
Internal intercostals Draw ribs together during forced Superior border of rib below Inferior border of rib
expiration above
Pectoralis major Flexes arm (PM), adducts arm, Clavicle, sternum cartilages of Greater tubercle of
medially rotates arm first 6 or 7 ribs, aponeurosis of humerus
external oblique
Thorax & Back
Pectoralis minor Draws scapula forward and downward 3rd-5th ribs Coracoid process of
when ribs fixed, elevates 3rd-5th ribs scapula
during forced expiration when scapula
is fixed
Serratus anterior Holds scapula against chest wall, Superior 8 or 9 ribs Anterior surface of
rotates scapula, important to vertebral border of
stabilize shoulder for arm movements scapula
(pushing, punching)
