{"id":1172,"date":"2020-07-23T08:26:56","date_gmt":"2020-07-23T08:26:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meddists.com\/learn\/pre-clinical\/test\/head-and-neck\/regions-layers-and-structures-of-the-neck\/triangles-of-the-neck\/suboccipital-triangle\/"},"modified":"2020-12-09T17:03:37","modified_gmt":"2020-12-09T15:03:37","slug":"suboccipital-triangle","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/meddists.com\/learn\/pre-clinical\/anatomy\/skull-head-and-neck\/neck\/triangles\/suboccipital-triangle\/","title":{"rendered":"Suboccipital triangle"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The suboccipital triangle is located deep to the sternocleidomastoid and semispinalis capitis muscles. The muscles that make up this triangle are the deepest of the neck, and this entire structure is covered with the deep nuchal fascia.<\/div><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Figure 1. The suboccipital triangle<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Borders<\/h4>\n<\/span>\n\n\n

The triangle is formed by three muscles:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Obliquus capitis superior<\/li>
  2. Obliquus capitis inferior<\/li>
  3. Recrus capitis posterior major<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    The floor of the triangle is formed by the posterior atlantooccipital membrane and posterior arch of C1 vertebra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The roof of the triangle is formed by deep nuchal fascia, the semispinalis capitis and sternocleidomastoid muscles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/a>
    Figure 2. Illustration of the suboccipital triangle <\/strong>(Credit: Anatomography, CC BY-SA 4.0)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<\/span>\n

    Contents<\/h4>\n<\/span>\n\n\n

    The contents of the suboccipital triangle are the vertebral artery<\/strong>, and the suboccipital nerve<\/strong> (the dorsal rami of C1 spinal nerve, which is not<\/strong> a part of the cervical plexus).<\/p>\n\n\n<\/span>\n

    Muscle table<\/h4>\n<\/span>\n\n\n

    The origin and insertion are quite easy to remember if you get the hang of it. Each muscle originates fairly close to the insertion of the other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Muscle<\/th>Origin<\/th>Insertion<\/th>Innervation<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
    Obliquus capitis superior<\/td>Transverse process of C1<\/td>Between superior and inferior nuchal lines<\/td>Suboccipital nerve<\/td><\/tr>
    Obliquus capitis inferior<\/td>Posterior tubercle of the posterior arch of C2<\/td>Transverse process of C1<\/td>Suboccipital nerve<\/td><\/tr>
    Rectus capitis posterior major<\/td>Spinous process of C2<\/td>Lateral part of the inferior nuchal line<\/td>Suboccipital nerve<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
    Table 1. The muscles of the suboccipital triangle<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/span>

    Borders<\/h4>

    Contents<\/h4>

    Muscle table<\/h4><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Borders The triangle is formed by three muscles: Obliquus capitis superior Obliquus capitis inferior Recrus capitis posterior major The floor of the triangle is formed by the posterior atlantooccipital membrane and posterior arch of C1 vertebra. The roof of the triangle is formed by deep nuchal fascia, the semispinalis capitis and sternocleidomastoid muscles. Contents The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":1167,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1172","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nSuboccipital triangle – Meddists<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/meddists.com\/learn\/pre-clinical\/anatomy\/skull-head-and-neck\/neck\/triangles\/suboccipital-triangle\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"1 minute\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" 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