All About The Anatomy Of The Back Muscles

The anatomy of the back muscles is interesting, especially when it comes to the muscles at the back of the body between the shoulders. In this article, we will look at some of the most important muscles in the back and what they do.

The back

Overall, we can divide the back into  two areas:

• Shoulder area:  This is the upper part of the back, which is connected to the upper limbs and organs of the chest, such as the lungs and heart.
• Lumbar region:  This is the lower back, below the chest, which is connected to the spine and the organs of the abdomen, such as the liver and intestines.

The anatomy of the back muscles basically defines their functions according to the location they have in the human body and in relation to the other structures to which they are associated.

These muscles determine the posture of the body and also regulate the three basic movements of the upper body: bending, rotation and stretching. They are  a common object of study in occupational medicine due to common occupational injuries. 

We will not describe all the back muscles in this article, but we will look at an overview of the most relevant ones. Thus, we will divide them into  three areas, based on their depth. Let’s look at what the deep, middle, and superficial muscles are all about.

Anatomy of the back muscles: The deep muscles

These are  the muscles that are furthest away from the surface,  closer to the internal organs and the spine. As a general group, they extend from the neck down to the sacrum and fulfill a basic and basic function: to control the posture of the whole body.

Let’s look at some of them:

• Spinal muscles:  These run along the entire spine, between the spinous processes and the transverse processes in the vertebrae. Scientific studies in recent years have discovered how poor posture during work adversely affects them. There are two types:
  • The interspinous ligament connects the spinous processes in different vertebrae; it is  an extender of the spine.
  • The inter-transverse ligament does the same with the transverse processes; it is responsible for  transverse movements.
• Sacrolumbar ligaments: These connect the pelvis to the spine and reach some cervical vertebrae. They can stretch the spine and also play a very important role in tilting the upper body to the sides.
• Dorsal Serratos:  These come in two variants: the cranial serrato or posterosuperior serrato and the caudal or posteroinferior serrato. They participate in breathing dynamics and  help the chest inhale and exhale. They also have roots in the spine and go into the ribs.

The middle back muscles

We can summarize the function of this muscle group as those that regulate the movements of the shoulders. They are, therefore, directly connected to the bone that we know as the shoulder blades.

This bone pseudo-articulates with the ribs, so some refer to it as a “false joint” because it is not made, like the other, typical joints. Instead, it is a bone surface (shoulder blades) on top of muscles (serratos).

Here, we can find two interesting muscles:

• The perpendicular to the shoulder blade:  This is the shoulder lift and can also be classified as a muscle in the upper limbs due to its purpose. It starts in the shoulder blades and reaches the cervical vertebrae.

• Rhomboids:  When this muscle contracts, the shoulder blades approach the spine in a retraction. It also communicates with the shoulder blades with the column in its inserts. It got its name thanks to its rhombus shape.

Anatomy of the back muscles: The superficial muscles

These are  the best known because they are associated with bodybuilding and aesthetics. Good development of these back muscles creates a characteristic figure in those who exercise regularly.

However, they have a meaning that is about much more than aesthetics. The muscles in this part of the back are  actively involved in the movements of the shoulder joints.

These are the two most relevant:

• Trapezium:  This is one of the largest muscles and has three parts which are connected. It is connected to the forehead bone of the skull, the vertebrae, the collarbone, the spine and the shoulder blades. They have several features:
  • Retraction of the shoulders.
  • Guide the shoulder blades to the spine.
  • Lowering the shoulder blades.
• The broad back muscle: This begins its journey in the last vertebra and in the part of the body that forms the last three ribs. It is thin, practically flat and triangular. When the arm acts as a fixed point, it lifts the upper body.

We hope you enjoyed learning a little more about your body and your muscles!