Muscles of the Neck

Overview

The muscles of the neck support breathing, swallowing, speech, posture and head movement. This section introduces the key muscular groups in the cervical region and outlines how they contribute to both fine control and large-scale motion of the head and neck.

Key Structures

Topics include the scalene muscles, which assist in neck flexion and respiration; the suprahyoid and infrahyoid muscles, which coordinate swallowing and stabilise the hyoid bone; and the suboccipital muscles, which fine-tune head movements at the craniovertebral joints. Each page outlines attachments, actions and innervation using clear, clinically oriented descriptions.

Clinical Relevance and Learning Focus

Understanding cervical muscle anatomy is essential for assessing neck pain, airway positioning, swallowing disorders and movement abnormalities. These muscles play important roles in regional anaesthesia, respiratory mechanics and neurological examination, making their anatomy highly relevant to clinical practice.