Practice Quiz on the Muscles of the Trunk
This is going to be a marathon but it will be worth it!
1. Which subgroup of the transversospinalis is deepest?
Rotatores
2. If the right-sided rotatores are eccentrically contracting, what type of rotation of the spine is
occuring?
Right rotation
3. which subgroup of the erector spinae is the most medial?
Spinalis
4. Which subgroup of the erector spinae goes from the pelvis to ribs?
Iliocostalis
5. Which subgroup of the transversospinalis is most superficial?
Semispinalis
6. What is happening to the length of the left quadratus lumborum when the spine is laterally
flexing to the left?
It is shortening
7. What muscle is superficial to the rhomboids?
Trapezius
8. As a rule, transversospinalis musculature attaches from where to where?
Transverse processes inferiorly to spinous processes superiorly
9. Which muscle attaches farther posteriorly, the external or internal abdominal oblique?
Internal abdominal oblique
10. How are the serratus posterior superior and scalenes synergistic with each other?
The both elevate upper ribs (1-2) at the costo-spinal and sternocostal joints.
11. What muscle is immediately deep to the internal abdominal oblique?
Transversus abdominis
12. What happens to the length of the transversus abdominis as a person breathes in and their belly
rises?
It lengthens
13. When the diaphragm concentrically contracts, what happens to its dome (central tendon)?
It drops
14. In what region is the multifidus of the transversospinalis group the largest?
The low back
15. What muscle is deep to the rhomboids and has the same direction of fibers?
Serratus posterior superior
16. What muscle attaches from the pelvis to the lumbar spine and twelfth rib and is deep to the
erector spinae group?
Quadratus lumborum
17. What is the name of the connective tissue that evelops the rectus abdominis?
Rectus sheath (abdominal aponeurosis)
18. In the thoracic region, the transversospinalis musculature is deep to which muscle of the erector
spinae group?
spinalis
19. Name a synergist to the pectoralis minor's action for protraction of the scapula at the
scapulocostal joint?
Serratus anterior, pectoralis major
20. What happens to the length of the pectoralis major if the arm laterally rotates at the shoulder
joint?
It lengthens
21. What m. is immediately superficial to the transversus abdominis?
Internal abdominal oblique
22. What m. group is immediately superficial to the quadratus lumborum?
Erector spine group
23. If the subclavius is tight, what condition might be caused?
Costoclavicular syndrome, a type of thoracic outlet syndrome
24. Which subgroup of the transversospinalis is best suited for rotation of the spine and why?
Rotatores, because they are oriented most horizontally
25. What is the superior attachment of the rotatores?
Lamina of the bertebrae (spinous processes of the vertebrae)
26. From a posterior perspective, which is deeper, the intercostals or the subcostales?
subcostales
27. What muscle is immediately deep to the external intercostals?
Internal intercostals
28. How are the rhomboids synergistic with the middle trapezius?
They both retract (adduct) the scapula at the scapulocostal joint
29. What m. is immediately superficial to the semispinalis in the suboccipital region?
Upper trapezius
30. If the serratus posterior inferior is eccentrically contracting, what joint motion is occurring?
Elevation of ribs 9-12 at the costospinal and sternocostal joints
31. What spinal rotation is created by the transversospinalis musculature on the right side of the
body?
Left rotation
32. In what region is the semispinalis of the transversospinalis group the largest?
The neck
33. If the trunk is passively flexing at the spinal joints, what is happening to the length of the
erector spinae group?
It is lengthening
34. What m. group is deep to the rhomboids and has a vertical direction to its fibers?
Erector spinae group
35. What is the superior attachement of the diaphragm?
Its central tendon/dome
36. Which head of the pectoralis major is better suited to create flexion of the arm at the shoulder
joint?
Clavicular head
37. Are the right and left side intertransversarii syngergistic with or antagonistic to each other?
Antagonistic; they laterally flex the spine to opposite sides
38. What m. has the same humeral actions as the latissimus dorsi?
Teres major
39. Where they overlap, which is deeper, the erector spinae group or the transversospinalis group?
Transversospinalis group
40. What m. is known as the corset m.?
Transversus abdominis
41. What muscle is immediately deep to the distal attachment of the pectoralis major?
Biceps brachii (long head proximal attachment)
42. If a person's trunk is actively rotated to the right, what happens to the length of the
transversopinalis musculature on the right?
It lengthens
43. The direction of fibers of the internal intercostals is similar to what muscle?
Internal abdominal oblique on that side of the body
44. What region of the spine is mostly missing interspinales?
thoracic
45. What is the action upon the spine if both quadratus lumborum muscles contract together?
extension
46. What muscle is immediately superficial to the internal intercostals?
External intercostals
47. Why are the levatores costarum and subcostales antagoinistic to each other?
The levators costarum elevate ribs; the subcostals depress ribs
48. What subgroup for the transversospinalis is immediately superficial to the rotatores?
multifides
49. What muscle makes up the vast majority of the anterior axillary fold of tissue?
Pectoralis major
50. What muscles sit the deepest in the laminar groove of the spine?
rotatores
51. What are the two heads of the pectoralis major?
Clavicular and sternocostal heads
52. With regard to flexion of the trunk at the spinal joints, what two abdominal wall muscles are
gynergistic with the rectus abdominis?
External and internal abdominal obliques
53. What joint action is ocurring when the right sided intertransversarii are eccentrically
contracting?
Left lateral flexion of the neck and trunk at the spinal joints
54. Name two actions of the serratus anterior that synergistic with actions of the pectoralis minor?
Protraction and depression of the scapula at the scapulocostal joint
55. What muscle is immediately superficial to the pectoralis minor?
Pectoralis major
56. True or false: the diaphragm is under both conscious and unconscious control.
true
57. What is the dircetion of fibers of the external abdominal oblique compared to the internal
abdominal oblique on the same side?
Opposite, i.e., perpendicular
58. What two muscles make up the vast majority of the posterior axillary fold of tissue?
Latissimus dorsi and teres major
59. What structures can the pectoralis minor compress against the ribcage?
Brachial plexus of nerves, subclavian artery and vein
60. What joint action is occurring when the interspinalies are lengthening?
Flexion of the neck and trunk at the spinal joints
61. If the pelvis is anteriorly tilting at the lubosacral joint, what is happening to the length of the
erector spinae group?
It is shortening
62. What two muscles pierce the diaphragm posteriorly?
Psoas major and quadratus lumborum
63. What muscle attaches to the underside of the clavicle?
subclavius
64. Would left lateral flexion of the turnck at the spinal joints lengthen or shorten the right sided
levatores costarum?
Lengthen
65. Which subgroup fo the erector spinae goes from spinous processes to spinous processes?
spinalis
66. The serratus anterior interdigitates (blends) with what muscle anteriorly?
External abdominal oblique
67. What muscle group is immediately superficial to the levatores costarum?
Erector spinae group
68. The upper fibers on the ribcage of the serratus anterior are deep to what two muscles?
Pectoralis major and minor
69. If the superior rib attachment of an external intercostal muscle is fixed, what action will occur?
The lower rib will elevate at the sternocostal and costospinal joints
70. What muscles are often calle dthe coat pocket muslces?
External abdominal obliques
71. What is happening to the length of the left quadratus lumborum when the pelvis is posteriorly
tilting at the lumbosacral joint?
It is lengthening
72. What two abdominal wall muscles attach into the thoracolumbar fascia?
Internal abdominal oblique and transversus abdominis
73. What happens tot he length of the rhomboids as the scapula protracts [abducts] at the
scapulocostal joint?
They lengthen
74. What muscles are known as the “Christmas Tree” muscles?
The rhomboids
75. What muscle is located deep (posterior) to the anterior ribcage and is analogous to the
transversus abdominis?
Transversus thoracis
76. If the inferior rib attachment of an external intercostal muscle is fixed, what action will occur?
The upper rib will depress at the sternocostal and costospinal joints.
77. What two muscles can upwardly rotate the scapula at the scapulocostal joint?
Serratus anterior and trapezius (upper and lower fibers)
78. How are the serratus posterior inferior and quadratus lumborum synergistic with each other?
They both depress the twelfth rib at the costospinal and sternocostal joints
79. Where the latissimus dorsi and trapezius overlap, which muscle is superficial?
trapezius
80. What happens to the length of the rectus abdominis as the pelvis anteriorly tilts at the
lumbosacral joint?
It lengthens
81. The serratus posterior inferior is immediately deep to what muscle?
Latissimus dorsi
82. If the right-sided rotatores are concentrically contracting, what type of rotation of the spine is
occurring?
Left rotation
83. Where are intercostal muscles not deep to external intercostals?
Between costal cartilages
84. If the pectoralis minor is eccentrically contracting, is the scapula protracting or retracting at the
scapulocostal joint?
retracting
85. Which subgroup of the erector spinae is the most lateral?
iliocostalis
86. What is the only subgroup of the transversospinalis that attaches to the pelvis?
multifidus
87. The direction of fibers of the external intercostals is similar to what muscle?
External abdominal oblique on that side of the body
88. How is the right external abdominal oblique synergistic with and also antagonistic to the right
internal abdominal oblique?
They are synergistic because they both do flexion and right lateral flexion of the trunk at the spinal
joints; they are antagonistic because the right external abdominal oblique does the right rotation of the
trunk
89. Which subgroup of the erector spinae is the longest?
longissimus
90. What happens to the length of the left rectus abdominis as the trunk is passively left laterally
flexed at the spinal joints?
It shortens
91. If the latissimus dorsi eccentrically contracts as the pelvis moves, how is the pelvis moving?
Posterior tilt and/or depression of the pelvis at the lumbosacral joint
92. What three muscles are located lateral to the rectus abdominis?
External and internal abdominal obliques and the transversus abdominis
93. If the arm medially rotates at the shoulder joint, what happens to the length of the latissimus
dorsi?
It shortens
94. What happens to the length of the right-sided rotatores if the spine is rotated to the right?
They lengthen
95. Name a muscle that is antagonistic to the elevation of the twelfth rib action fo the internal
intercostals.
Quadratus lumborum