Epicranial Frontal belly
Action: Raises the eyebrows
Origin: Epicranial aponeurosis
Insertion: Skin of eyebrows and nose
Epicranial Occipital belly
Action: Fixes aponeurosis and pulls scalp
posteriorly Origin:
Occipital and temporal bones
Insertion: Epicranial aponeurosis
Orbicularis oculi
Action: Closes eye Origin:
Frontal and maxillary bones Insertion: Eyelid
Zygomaticus
Action: Raises lateral corners of the mouth
Origin: Zygomatic bone
Insertion: Skin and muscle at corner of mouth
Risorius
Action: Draws corner of lip laterally
Origin: Fascia of masseter
Insertion: Skin at angle of mouth
Orbicularis oris
Action: Closes lips Origin:
Maxilla and mandible Insertion: Muscle and
skin at angles of the mouth
Mentalis
Action: Wrinkles chin Origin:
Mandible Insertion: Skin of chin
Buccinator
Action: Compresses cheek
Origin: Maxilla and mandible
Insertion: Orbicularis oris
Platysma
Action: Tenses skin of neck
Origin: Fascia of chest
Insertion: Mandible and skin at corner of mouth
Masseter
Action: Closes jaw Origin:
Zygomatic arch Insertion: Angle, ramus of mandible
Temporalis
Action: Closes jaw Origin:
Temporal fossa Insertion: Coronoid process
Sternocleidomastoid
Action: Flexes, laterally rotates head
Origin: Manubrium, medial clavicle
Insertion: Mastoid process of temporal bone and
superior nuchal line of occipital bone
Scalenes (Anterior, Middle, Posterior)
Action: Elevate ribs 1 and 2
Origin: Cervical vertebrae
Insertion: First two ribs
Splenius capitis, cervicis
Action: Extends head Origin:
Cervical and thoracic vertebrae Insertion:
Mastoid process of temporal bone, occipital bone, transverse
processes of C C 2 4
Iliocostalis
Action: Extends and laterally flexes vertebral
column, extends head and rotates toward same side
Origin: Iliac crests, ribs
Insertion: Angles of ribs, cervical vertebrae
Longissimus
Action: Extends and laterally flexes vertebral
column, extends head and rotates toward same side
Origin: Vertebral column
Insertion: Cervical and thoracic vertebrae, ribs
Spinalis
Action: Extends and laterally flexes vertebral
column, extends head and rotates toward same side
Origin: Thoracic and lumbar vertebrae
Insertion: Thoracic and cervical vertebrae
External intercostals
Action: Elevates ribs
Origin: Inferior border of upper rib
Insertion: Superior border of rib below
Internal intercostals
Action: Compresses and depresses ribcage
Origin: Superior border of rib below
Insertion: Inferior border of upper rib
Diaphragm
Action: Flattens during inspiration
Origin: Internal surface of ribcage and sternum,
lower costal cartilages, lumbar vertebrae
Insertion: Central tendon
Rectus abdominis
Action: Flexes and rotates vertebral column
Origin: Pubic crest and symphysis
Insertion: Xiphoid process, lower costal cartilages
External oblique
Action: Flexes vertebral column, rotates and flexes
vertebral column laterally, compresses abdomen
Origin: Lower ribs Insertion:
Linea alba, pubic crest, tubercle, iliac crest
Internal oblique
Action: Flexes vertebral column, rotates and flexes
vertebral column laterally, compresses abdomen
Origin: Lumbar fascia, iliac crest
Insertion: Linea alba, pubic crest, costal margin,
and lower ribs
Transversus abdominis
Action: Compresses abdomen
Origin: Lumbar fascia, iliac crest, lower costal
cartilages Insertion: Linea alba, pubic crest
Pectoralis minor
Action: Fixes ribs, protracts and depresses
scapula Origin: Ribs 3�5
Insertion: Coracoid process
Serratus anterior
Action: Rotates scapula
Origin: Ribs 1�8 Insertion:
Medial border ofscapula
Subclavius
Action: Fixes and depresses pectoral girdle
Origin: Costal cartilage of rib 1
Insertion: Clavicle
Trapezius
Action: Fixes, elevates, retracts, and rotates
scapula Origin: Occipital condyle, vertebral
column Insertion: Acromion, spine of scapula,
lateral third of clavicle
Levator scapulae
Action: Elevates, adducts scapula
Origin: Vertebral transverse processes
Insertion: Medial border of scapula
Rhomboids (major, minor)
Action: Fixes scapula Origin:
Vertebral spinous processes Insertion: Medial
border of scapula
Pectoralis major
Action: Flexes, adducts, medially rotates arm
Origin: Clavicle, sternum, costal cartilages
Insertion: Greater tubercle
Deltoid
Action: Abducts arm Origin:
Acromion, spine of scapula, lateral third of clavicle
Insertion: Deltoid tuberosity
Latissimus dorsi
Action: Extends, adducts, medially rotates arm
Origin: Vertebrae, ribs, iliac crest, inferior angle
of scapula Insertion: Humerus
Subscapularis (part of rotator cuff)
Action: Medially rotates arm
Origin: Subscapular fossa
Insertion: Lesser tubercle
Supraspinatus (part of rotator cuff)
Action: Abducts arm Origin:
Supraspinous fossa Insertion: Greater tubercle
Infraspinatus (part of rotator cuff)
Action: Laterally rotates arm
Origin: Infraspinous fossa
Insertion: Greater tubercle
Teres minor (part of rotator cuff)
Action: Laterally rotates arm
Origin: Lateral border of scapula
Insertion: Greater tubercle
Teres major
Action: Extends, medially rotates, adducts arm
Origin: Inferior angle of scapula
Insertion: Lesser tubercle
Coracobrachialis
Action: Flexes, adducts arm
Origin: Coracoid process
Insertion: Humerus
Triceps brachii
Action: Extends forearm
Origin: Scapula, humerus
Insertion: Olecranon
Biceps brachii
Action: Flexes and supinates forearm
Origin: Coracoid process, glenoid cavity
Insertion: Radial tuberosity
Brachialis
Action: Flexes forearm
Origin: Humerus Insertion:
Coronoid process
Brachioradialis
Action: Flexes forearm
Origin: Humerus Insertion:
Radial styloid process
Pronator teres
Action: Pronates forearm
Origin: Medial epicondyle of humerus, coronoid
process Insertion: Radius
Flexor carpi radialis
Action: Flexes wrist, abducts hand
Origin: Medial epicondyle of humerus
Insertion: Second and third metacarpals
Palmaris longus
Action: Tenses skin and fascia of palm
Origin: Medial epicondyle of humerus
Insertion: Palmar aponeurosis
Flexor carpi ulnaris
Action: Flexes wrist, adducts hand
Origin: Medial epicondyle, olecranon
Insertion: Pisiform, hamate, and fifth metacarpal
Flexor digitorum superficialis
Action: Flexes wrist and middle phalanges of fingers
2�5 Origin: Medial epicondyle of humerus
Insertion: Middle phalanges of fingers 2�5
Extensor carpi radialis longus and brevis
Action: Extends and abducts wrist
Insertion: Third metacarpal
Extensor digitorum
Action: Extends fingers
Origin: Lateral epicondyle of humerus
Insertion: Distal phalanges of fingers 2�5
Extensor carpi ulnaris
Action: Extends and adducts wrist
Origin: Lateral epicondyle of humerus, ulna
Insertion: Fifth metacarpal
Thenar Muscles
Action: Abducts, adducts, flexes, and opposes thumb
Origin: Flexor retinaculum, carpals,
metacarpals II�IV Insertion: Proximal phalanx
and metacarpal I
Hypothenar Muscles
Action: Abducts, flexes little finger, opposes thumb
Origin: Carpals and flexor retinaculum
Insertion: Proximal phalanx of little finger
Iliacus
Action: Flexes thigh at trunk, flexes vertebral
column laterally Origin: Iliac fossa, crest,
and sacrum Insertion: Lesser trochanter
Psoas major
Action: Flexes thigh at trunk, flexes vertebral
column laterally Origin: Lumbar
vertebrae Insertion: Lesser trochanter
Sartorius
Action: Flexes, abducts, medially rotates thigh,
flexes knee Origin: Anterior superior iliac
spine Insertion: Medial proximal tibia
Adductor magnus
Action: Adducts, flexes, extends, medially rotates
thigh Origin: Ischial and pubic rami, ischial
tuberosity Insertion: Linea aspera
Adductor longus
Action: Adducts, flexes, medially rotates thigh
Origin: Pubis
Insertion: Linea aspera
Adductor brevis
Action: Adducts, flexes, medially rotates thigh
Origin: Pubis
Insertion: Linea aspera
Gracilis
Action: Adducts, flexes, medially rotates thigh
Origin: Pubis, ischial ramus
Insertion: Tibia
Rectus femoris
Action: Extends knee, flexes thigh
Origin: Anterior inferior iliac spine,
acetabulum Insertion: Patella, tibial
tuberosity via patellar ligament
Vastus lateralis
Action: Extends knee Origin:
Greater trochanter, linea aspera Insertion:
Patella, tibial tuberosity via patellar ligament
Vastus medalis
Action: Extends knee Origin:
Linea aspera Insertion: Patella, tibial
tuberosity via patellar ligament
Vastus intermedius
Action: Extends knee Origin:
Proximal shaft of femur Insertion: Patella,
tibial tuberosity via patellar ligament
Gluteus maximus
Action: Extends thigh
Origin: Ilium, sacrum, coccyx
Insertion: Gluteal tuberosity of femur, iliotibial tract
Gluteus medius
Action: Abducts, medially rotates thigh
Origin: Ilium Insertion:
Greater trochanter
Gluteus minimus
Action: Abducts, medially rotates thigh
Origin: Ilium Insertion:
Greater trochanter
Biceps femoris
Action: Extends thigh, flexes knee
Origin: Ischial tuberosity, linea aspera
Insertion: Head of fibula, lateral condyle of tibia
Semitendinosus
Action: Extends thigh, flexes knee
Origin: Ischial tuberosity
Insertion: Tibia
Semimembranosus
Action: Extends thigh, flexes knee
Origin: Ischial tuberosity
Insertion: Medial condyle of tibia, lateral condyle
of femur
Tibialis anterior
Action: Dorsiflexes foot
Origin: Tibia, interosseous membrane
Insertion: Medial cuneiform, metatarsal I
Extensor digitorum longus
Action: Extends toes Origin:
Tibia, fibula, interosseous membrane
Insertion: Middle and distal phalanges of toes 2�5
Fibularis (peroneus) longus and brevis
Action: Plantar flexes and everts foot
Origin: Fibula Insertion:
Metatarsal I, medial cuneiform
Gastrocnemius
Action: Plantar flexes foot
Origin: Medial and lateral condyles of femur
Insertion: Calcaneus
Soleus
Action: Plantar flexes foot
Origin: Tibia, fibula, interosseous membrane
Insertion: Calcaneus
Flexor digitorum longus
Action: Plantar flexes and inverts foot, flexes toes
Origin: Posterior tibia
Insertion: Tendon passes behind medial malleolus to
distal phalanges of toes 2�5
Tibialis posterior
Action: Inverts foot Origin:
Tibia, fibula, interosseous membrane
Insertion: Tendon passes behind medial malleolus,
under arch, to tarsals and metatarsals II�IV