Levator scapulae muscle
| Levator scapulae muscle | |
|---|---|
Muscles connecting the upper extremity to the vertebral column. (Levator scapulae visible at upper right, at the neck.) | |
Muscles of neck. (Levator scapulae visible at center left.) | |
| Details | |
| Pronunciation | /lɪˈveɪtər ˈskæpjʊli/ |
| Origin | Posterior tubercles of transverse processes of C1 - C4 vertebrae |
| Insertion | Superior part of medial border of scapula |
| Artery | Dorsal scapular artery |
| Nerve | Cervical nerve (C3, C4) and dorsal scapular nerve (C5) |
| Actions | Elevates scapula and tilts its glenoid cavity inferiorly by downwardly rotating the scapula |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | musculus levator scapulae |
| TA98 | A04.3.01.009 |
| TA2 | 2234 |
| FMA | 32519 |
| Anatomical terms of muscle | |
The levator scapulae is a slender: 910 skeletal muscle situated at the back and side of the neck. It originates from the transverse processes of the four uppermost cervical vertebrae; it inserts onto the upper portion of the medial border of the scapula. It is innervated by the cervical nerves C3-C4, and frequently also by the dorsal scapular nerve. As the Latin name suggests, its main function is to lift the scapula.