Deep muscles of the back (overview)
The deep muscles of the back are divided in 3 layers: superficial layer, intermediate layer, and deep layer, which additionally can be divided into two more - the deep and deepest layers. Each layer contains specific muscles listed below.
Superficial layer:
- Splenius capitis
- Splenius cervicis
Intermediate layer:
Erector spinae, consisting of:
- Iliocostalis
- Iliocostalis cervicis
- Iliocostalis thoracis
- Iliocostalis lumborum
- Longissimus
- Longissimus capitis
- Longissimus cervicis
- Longissimus thoracis
- Spinalis
- Spinalis capitis
- Spinalis cervicis
- Spinalis thoracis
Deep layer:
- Rotatores spinae
- Multifidus
- Cervical multifidus
- Thoracic multifidus
- Lumbar multifidus
- Semispinalis
- Semispinalis capitis
- Semispinalis cervicis
- Semispinalis thoracis
Deepest layer:
- Interspinales
- Interspinales cervicis
- Interspinales thoracis
- Interspinales lumborum
- Intertransversarii
- Intertransversarii cervicis
- Intertransversarii lumborum
- Levatores costarum