Obliquus capitis inferior (Musculus obliquus capitis inferior)
Educational content only — not medical advice.
Anatomy
The only suboccipital muscle not reaching the skull — from the axis spinous process to the atlas transverse process, rotating the head via the atlas itself; it bounds the suboccipital triangle below.
Origin & insertion
Spinous process of the axis (C2).
Action
Rotates the atlas — and the head with it — around the axis toward its own side in sideways looking.
Innervation
Posterior ramus of C1.
Clinical notes
Its upper border with the superior oblique and the two recti encloses C1 root and vertebral artery; post-acceleration pain here means suboccipital strain before anything cortical.
Related structures
Educational references
FAQ
What is the role of the Obliquus capitis inferior?
The only suboccipital muscle not reaching the skull — from the axis spinous process to the atlas transverse process, rotating the head via the atlas itself; it bounds the suboccipital triangle below.
Why is the Obliquus capitis inferior clinically important?
Its upper border with the superior oblique and the two recti encloses C1 root and vertebral artery; post-acceleration pain here means suboccipital strain before anything cortical.
Source & license
BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science licensed under CC Attribution 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). license details