Muscles
Origin
Insertion
Primary Action
Head/Neck Muscles
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Frontalis
Orbicularis oculi
Orbicularis oris
Temporalis
Zygomaticus
Masseter
Buccinator
Sternocleidomastoid
Platysma
Frontalis
• Origin
o Cranial
aponeurosis
• Insertion
o Skin of eyebrows
• Primary Action
o Raises eyebrows
Orbicularis oculi
• Origin
o Frontal bone and
maxilla
• Insertion
o Tissue around the
eyes
• Primary Actions
o Blinks
o Closes eyes
Orbicularis oris
• Origin
o Maxilla and mandible
• Insertion
o Skin and muscle around
the mouth
• Primary Actions
o Closes and protrudes
lips
o Known as the kissing
muscle because it is used
to pucker the lips. (xo!).
Temporalis
• Origin
o Temporal bone
• Insertion
o Mandible
• Primary Action
o Closes jaw
Zygomaticus
• Origin
o Zygomatic bone
• Insertion
o Skin and muscle
at corners of lips
• Primary Action
o Raises corner of
mouth 
Masseter
• Origin
o Zygomatic arch
• Insertion
o Mandible
• Primary Action
o Closes jaw
Buccinator
• Origin
o Maxilla and mandible near
molars
• Insertion
o Orbicularis oris
• Primary Actions
o Compresses cheek as in
whistling and sucking
o Holds food between teeth
during chewing
Sternocleidomastoid
• Origin
o Sternum and clavicle
• Insertion
o Mastoid process of the
temporal bone
• Primary Actions
o Contracted together = flex
neck
o One contracts = head
rotated to side
Platysma
• Origin
o Connective tissue covering
of superior chest muscles
• Insertion
o Tissue around the mouth
• Primary Action
o Pulls corners of the mouth
inferiorly  ‘frown’
Neck/Trunk/ Shoulder Muscles
• Superficial anterior muscles:
o Pectoralis major
o Rectus abdominis
o External oblique
• Superficial posterior muscles:
o
o
o
o
Trapezius
Latissimus dorsi
Erector spinae
Deltoid
Pectoralis major
• Origin
o Clavicle
o Sternum
o 1st to 6th ribs
• Insertion
o Proximal humerus
• Primary Action
o Adducts and flexes humerus
Rectus abdominis
• Origin
o Pubis
• Insertion
o Ribs 5-7
o Sternum
• Primary Action
o Flexes vertebral
column
External oblique
• Origin
o Lower 8 ribs
• Insertion
o Iliac crest
• Primary Actions
o Rotates and flexes
vertebral column
Trapezius
• Origin
o Occipital bone
o All cervical and thoracic
vertebrae
• Insertion
o Clavicle
o Scapular spine
• Primary Action
o Extends head and neck
Latissimus dorsi
• Origin
o Lower spine
o Iliac crest
• Insertion
o Proximal humerus
• Primary Actions
o Extends and adducts
humerus
Erector spinae
• Origin
o Iliac crest
o Vertebræ
o Ribs 3-12
• Insertion
o Thoracic and cervical
vertebrae
o Ribs
• Primary Action
o Extends the vertebral column
Deltoid
• Origin
o Clavicle
o Spine of scapula
• Insertion
o Deltoid tuberosity of
humerus
• Primary Action
o Abducts arm
Shoulder/Arm/Forearm
Muscles
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Biceps brachii
Brachialis
Deltoid
Triceps brachii
Flexor carpi radialis
Flexor carpi ulnaris
Flexor digitorum superficialis
Extensor carpi radialis (longus and brevis)
Extensor digitorum
Biceps brachii
• Origin
o Short head: tip of coracoid
process of scapula
o Long head: supraglenoid
tubercle of scapula
• Insertion
o Proximal radius
• Primary Actions
o Supinates forearm
o Flexes elbow
Brachialis
• Origin
o Distal humerus
• Insertion
o Proximal ulna
• Primary Action
o Flexes elbow
Deltoid
• Origin
o Clavicle
o Spine of scapula
• Insertion
o Deltoid tuberosity of
humerus
• Primary Action
o Abducts arm
Triceps brachii
• Origin
o Long head: scapula
o Lateral head: proximal humerus
o Medial head: proximal humerus
• Insertion
o Olecranon process of ulna
• Primary Action
o Extends elbow
Flexor carpi radialis
• Origin
o Distal humerus
• Insertion
o Base of 2nd metacarpal
• Primary Actions
o Flexes and abducts hand (at
wrist)
Flexor carpi ulnaris
• Origin
o Humeral head: distal humerus
o Ulnar head: posterior ulna
• Insertion
o Carpals (pisiform bone, hook of
hamate bone)
o 5th metacarpal bone
• Primary Action
o Flexes and adducts hand (at
wrist)
Flexor digitorum superficialis
• Origin
o Humoulnar head: distal
humerus and ulna
o Radial head: superior half of
radius
• Insertion
o Middle phalanges of digits 2 - 5
• Primary Action
o Flexes wrist and fingers
Extensor carpi radialis longus
• Origin
o Humerus
• Insertion
o Base of 2nd metacarpal
• Primary Actions
o Extends and abducts hand
at wrist
Extensor carpi radialis brevis
• Origin
o Humerus
• Insertion
o Base of 3rd metacarpal
• Action
o Extends and abducts hand
at wrist
Extensor digitorum
• Origin
o Distal humerus
• Insertion
o Phalanges of 2nd to 5th
fingers
• Primary Actions
o Extends fingers
o Extends hand at wrist
Hip/Thigh/Leg Muscles Anterior
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Iliopsoas
Adductor muscles
Sartorius
Quadriceps group:
o
o
o
o
Vastus medialis
Vastus intermedius
Vastus lateralis
Rectus femoris
• Tibialis anterior
• Extensor digitorum longus
• Fibularis muscles
Iliopsoas
• Origin
o Psoas – lumbar vertebrae
o Iliacus – ilium
• Insertion
o Femur (lesser trochanter)
• Primary Action
o Flexes the hip
Adductor muscles
• Origin
o Pubis
• Insertion
o Femur
o Tibia
• Primary Action
o Adducts thigh
Sartorius
• Origin
o Ilium
• Insertion
o Proximal tibia
• Primary Actions
o Flexes and laterally rotates
the thigh
Quadriceps Group
Vastus medialis
• Origin
o Femur
• Insertion
o Tibial tuberosity via patellar
ligament
• Primary Action
o Extends the knee
Quadriceps Group
Vastus intermedius
• Origin
o Femur
• Insertion
o Tibial tuberosity via patellar
ligament
• Primary Action
o Extends the knee
Quadriceps Group
Vastus lateralis
• Origin
o Femur
• Insertion
o Tibial tuberosity via patellar
ligament
• Primary Action
o Extends the knee
Quadriceps Group
Rectus femoris
• Origin
o Ilium
• Insertion
o Tibial tuberosity via patellar
ligament
• Primary Actions
o Extends the knee
o Flexes thigh (hip)
Tibialis anterior
• Origin
o Proximal tibia
• Insertion
o First cuneiform and first
metatarsal
• Primary Actions
o Dorsiflexes and inverts foot
Extensor digitorum longus
• Origin
o Proximal tibia and fibula
• Insertion
o Distal phalanges 2-5
• Primary Actions
o Extends toes 2 - 5
o Dorsiflexes foot
Fibularis or peroneus muscles
Peroneus longus
• Origin
o Fibula
• Insertion
o Tarsal (medial
cuneiform) and
1st metatarsal
• Primary Actions
o Eversion
o Plantarflexion
Fibularis or peroneus muscles
Peroneus brevis
• Origin
o Fibula
• Insertion
o Fifth metatarsal
• Primary Actions
o Eversion
o Plantarflexion
Fibularis or peroneus muscles
Peroneus tertius
• Origin
o Fibula
• Insertion
o Fifth metatarsal
• Primary Actions
o Eversion
o Plantarflexion
Hip/Thigh/Leg Muscles
Posterior
• Gluteus maximus
• Gluteus medius
• Hamstring muscles
o Semitendinosus
o Semimembranosus
o Biceps femoris
• Gastrocnemius
• Soleus
Gluteus maximus
• Origin
o Ilium, sacrum and coccyx
• Insertion
o Lateral femur
• Primary Action
o Extends hip (thigh)
Gluteus medius
• Origin
o Ilium
• Insertion
o Greater trochanter of femur
• Primary Actions
o Abducts thigh
o Steadies pelvis during
walking
Hamstring Muscles
Semitendinosus
• Origin
o Ischial tuberosity
• Insertion
o Proximal tibia
• Primary Actions
o Extends the thigh
o Flexes the knee
Hamstring Muscles
Semimembranosus
• Origin
o Ischial tuberosity
• Insertion
o Proximal tibia
• Primary Action
o Extends the thigh
o Flexes the knee
Hamstring Muscles
Biceps femoris
• Origin
o Long head – ischial tuberosity
o Short head –lateral femur
• Insertion
o Head of fibula
• Primary Actions
o Extends the thigh
o Flexes the knee
Long head Short head
Gastrocnemius
• Origin
o Medial head – medial epicondyle of
femur
o Lateral head – lateral epicondyle of
femur
• Insertion
o Calcaneus
• Primary Actions
o Flexes knee
o Plantar flexes foot
Soleus
• Origin
o Tibia
o Fibula
• Insertion
o Calcaneus
• Action
o Plantar flexes foot