Deep back and suboccipital triangle

Question 1

What muscles are in the splenius group?

Answer 1

splenius capitis, splenius cervicis

Question 2

What is the most superficial of the deep back miscles

Answer 2

splenius group

Question 3

How do deep back muscles receive nervous innervation?

Answer 3

posterior rami of spinal nerves

Question 4

What muscles are in the erector spinae group?

Answer 4

medial to lateral
spinalis (capitis, cervicis, thoracis)
longissimus (capitis, cervicis, thoracis)
iliocostalis (lumborum, cervicis, thoracis)

Question 5

What muscles are in the transversospinalis group?

Answer 5

semispinalis (capitis, cervicis, thoracis)
multifidus
rotatores

Question 6

What muscles are also there and just kinda do stuff?

minor deep layer

Answer 6

interspinales (this one is “es” for some reason)
intertransversarii
levator costarum

Question 7

What is the blood supply to the deep neck?

Answer 7

ascending cervical a
vertebral a
costocervical trunk giving rise to deep cervical a.

Question 8

What is the blood supply to the deep back?

Answer 8

deep cervical artery

Question 9

What are some features of atlas (C1)

Answer 9

no body, no spinous process) superior articular facets for occipital condyles, facet for dens

Question 10

What are some features of axis? (C2)

Answer 10

has a dens

Question 11

How do axis and atlas articulate?

Answer 11

medial atlantoaxial joint (dens and dens facet)
lateral atlantoaxial joint
ligamentous attachment-posterior atlanto occipital membrane

Question 12

How can atlas be injured? What part breaks?

Answer 12

crush injury (dive in shallow, car accident) lateral mass breaks from anterior tubercle or posterior tubercle (anterior or posterior arch breaks

Question 13

How is axis injured? What is the name for this fracture?

What part is fractured?

Answer 13

abrupt hyperextension of neck (also acceleration/decelleration/whiplash), hangmans fracture
-pars interarticularis fracture (between superior and inferior articular facets)

Question 14

How would you break the dens?

Answer 14

horizontal blow to the head

Question 15

What occurs in a spinal sprain?

Answer 15

ligament injury, no dislocation or fracture

-occurs in spine due to excessive rotation or extension of back

Question 16

what occurs in a deep back strain?

Answer 16

deep back muscles injured from overly strong contraction typically the erector spinae group

Question 17

What soft tissue injuries can occur to the back and what causes?

Answer 17

caused by whiplash

anterior longitudinal ligament injured and sometimes avulsion fracture of vertebrae

Question 18

What nerves are irritated in occipital neuralgia? What causes this? what are Sx?

Answer 18

greater and lesser occipital n.
cause: OA, neck injury, muscle spasm
sx-burning, stabbing pain w/ movement, scalp tenderness, pain behind eyes

Question 19

What nerves and vasculature are located in the suboccipital triangle?

Answer 19

greater/lesser occipital n
suboccipital n
vertebral a

Question 20

What muscles make up the suboccipital triangle

Answer 20

rectus capitis posterior major and minor

obliquus capitis inferior and superior

Question 21

Describe the position of the vertebral a in the suboccipital region and its clinical significance to blood supply for the brain

Answer 21

begins at subclavian, travels through transverse foramen of C7 –> C2 and join medially to form basilar a.
if this is impinged by the atlantoaxial joint there is reduced blood flow to the brain causing dizziness and confusion