Rectus posterior minor capitis muscle
Musculus rectus posterior minor capitis
Rectus capitis posterior minor is a small suboccipital muscle running from the back of the atlas to the occipital bone near the midline.
At a glance
- English
- Rectus posterior minor capitis muscle
- Latin (TA2)
- Musculus rectus posterior minor capitis
- System
- Muscle
- Region
- Neck
- Side
- Paired, left and right
About the rectus posterior minor capitis muscle
Rectus capitis posterior minor is the smallest and most medial of the suboccipital muscles. It lies close to the midline at the top of the back of the neck, partly hidden by rectus capitis posterior major, in the gap left between the major muscles of the two sides. It lies directly behind the posterior atlanto-occipital membrane, which closes the space between the atlas and the skull.
Its slim, pointed tendon starts on the posterior tubercle, the small bump at the middle of the atlas's rear arch. Widening as it rises, it ends on the inferior nuchal line, on its inner half, and on the occipital bone from there down to the edge of the foramen magnum. Some of its deep fibres also attach through connective tissue to the dura mater covering the spinal cord at this level.
The muscle extends the head at the atlanto-occipital joint, working with rectus capitis posterior major and the oblique muscles. Its strength is small; its larger role is probably to steady the joint and to signal head position, since it holds many muscle spindles. Its link to the dura, together with similar links from rectus major and from the nuchal ligament, seems to stop the dura from folding inwards towards the spinal cord as the head moves.
It is supplied by the suboccipital nerve, the dorsal ramus of the first cervical nerve, and receives blood from the vertebral and occipital arteries. Structures served by the upper three cervical nerves, including the dura and these muscles, can refer pain to the head. The muscle-dura links have therefore been proposed as one cause of cervicogenic headache and as one reason manual therapy of the upper neck may ease it, though the evidence remains limited.
Attachments, action and supply
- Origin
- Posterior tubercle on the rear arch of the atlas (C1).
- Insertion
- Inferior nuchal line, inner half, and the occipital bone below it, towards the foramen magnum; some fibres to the spinal dura mater.
- Action
- Extends the head at the atlanto-occipital joint and steadies it.
- Nerve supply
- Suboccipital nerve (dorsal ramus of C1).
- Blood supply
- Vertebral and occipital arteries.
Anthromica
See the rectus posterior minor capitis muscle where it really sits, with every layer of the body around it.
- Every layer, one body. Peel from muscle to bone, nerve, vessel and organ, and turn it any way.
- English and Latin. Every structure named the way your exam names it.
- Quiz until it sticks. Short drills on the structures you keep missing.
Free to start. No card.
