Like the rest of the human body, muscles form the neck. The neck is a kind of movable support for our head, providing all its movements. The main muscles of the neck are: scalene muscles, belt muscle of the neck, belt muscle of the head, scapular-hyoid and sternocleidomastoid muscles. The neck muscles located along its midline have a longitudinal direction muscle fibers... And for the muscles located on the sides, the oblique direction of the fibers is characteristic.
Neck muscle function
Neck muscles play important role... They not only support the head, provide all its movements, but also take an active part in the pronunciation of sounds, in the processes of breathing and swallowing.
Neck muscle spasm
As a result of the long sedentary work, the wrong position of the head when walking often develops a spasm of the muscles of the neck. Therefore, people of some professions (drivers, accountants, programmers, etc.) often have neck muscles sore. When the muscles are overstrained, their spasm occurs. As a result, blood vessels are compressed. Violation of the blood supply to the muscles leads to the development of hypoxia, edema and pain in them. A spasm of the neck muscles causes not only pain in the neck, but also headaches, disorders of the blood supply to the spine, and often mental disorders.
To prevent the development of a spasm of the neck muscles, it is important to take short breaks during the working day, during which you should do enough simple exercises for the muscles of the neck - tilting the head back and forth, from side to side, rotational movements of the head. These exercises for the muscles of the neck allow you to relieve excessive static stress from them, improve their blood supply.
If a spasm of the neck muscles nevertheless developed and led to the onset of a painful attack, then you should not immediately start taking painkillers. In many cases, it is enough to just lie down, take a short walk, take a warm shower or bath, or have a massage. Massage allows not only to eliminate the manifestations of spasm, but also helps to strengthen the muscles of the neck.
Neck muscles ache: causes
As the data of medical statistics show, from time to time the muscles of the neck hurt every third person. The causes of these pains can be different. Most often, there is a spasm of the neck muscles, but there may be other reasons leading to pain in the neck muscles:
- Cervical sciatica - occurs as a result of inflammation of the nerve roots extending from spinal cord... The pain in this case is quite sharp, burning. Often they are given to the scapula, arm and are accompanied by paresthesias (disorders of skin sensitivity). To prevent repeated attacks of radiculitis, great attention should be paid to strengthening the muscles of the neck, the formation of a "muscle corset", which will remove unnecessary stress from the cervical spine and prevent pinching of the nerve roots in the future;
- Stretching the muscles of the neck. This injury often occurs in individuals who begin to do neck muscle exercises without a proper warm-up. Sprains of the neck muscles can also occur in cases of sudden head turns;
- Myositis is an inflammation of the muscles in the neck. They are characterized by a long course. Myositis is manifested by aching pain. On palpation (feeling) of the affected muscle, its slight thickening and soreness is determined.
In some cases, pain in the muscles of the neck is observed in a number of other diseases: ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatic polymyalgia, ischemic disease hearts. Therefore, if your neck often hurts, then you should definitely consult a doctor who will conduct the necessary research, make the correct diagnosis and prescribe the appropriate treatment.
If you have a headache in the upper part of the crown, it is likely that you have an injury to the belt muscle of the neck. Signs of such pain are its concentration behind the eyeball and can have a shooting character in the area from the back of the head to the eyeball. Quite often, the result of such pain is "stiffness" in the movements of the neck and head.
Another unpleasant sign may be blurred vision with right side without the occurrence of any disease. In addition, hypertonicity and muscle shortening can occur in spastic torticollis syndrome.
Anatomy
The belt muscle of the neck runs in the nuchal ligament to the vertebrae of the lateral parts of the nuchal line and the posterior edge of the mastoid process.
Functionally perform the tasks of straightening the neck and raising the head together with the back cervical muscles, as opposed to the action of similar anterior muscles. They are also responsible for turning the neck and head together with the muscles that lift the scapula and the upper bundles of the trapezius muscle.
Diagnostics
With the occurrence of various kinds of pathologies, painful points are revealed at the place of muscle attachment to the mastoid process and under the upper bundles that raise the scapula. In order for the belt muscle of the neck to relax, it is required to tilt the head towards the affected part, then the edge is displaced towards the spine, and the muscle that lifts the scapula in the parenteral direction.
In addition, a place directly above the angle formed by the neck and shoulder girdle is subject to palpation. The specialist needs to turn the patient's head and neck away from the affected muscle, thus stretching it.
Sitting position
A study of the condition of the belt muscle of the head and neck and in sitting position... The patient needs to perform several active movements and turns of the head, in the direction opposite to the affected area. In addition, there is a limitation of passive forward tilt of the neck or rotation to the side opposite to the affected muscle area.
In some cases, such a limitation of movement can be observed with damage to other muscles, and therefore it is diagnosed on the basis of residual effects.
The treatment procedure requires observance of the axis shoulder girdle in a horizontal position. If there is no way to reach a horizontal position, you should put some kind of flat object.
Treatment
In a seated position, the doctor needs to lean on the back of the chair and achieve relaxation of the muscles of the shoulder girdle. Before stretching the muscles, it is required to turn the head away from the affected part and forward, until a slight springy effect occurs, which occurs when the tissue is pulled and held until the muscle adapts to stretching.
The patient is required to rotate with a lateral tilt towards the muscle lesion and straighten the heads, achieving an increase in stretch with each repetition of the movement. Each time in a new position, it is fixed by tension until the isometric work is repeated.
The procedure for stretching the belt muscles of the neck and head should be repeated 4-6 times without interruption.
Conclusion
It is worth saying that this muscle the neck is a very important component for the free and comfortable movement of a person. Failure to comply with preventive measures and physical education can cause unpleasant sensations of jamming and even deterioration of vision. You need to understand that you should not engage in recovery on your own, much more effective way there will be an appeal to a qualified specialist who can help you perform physical exercises.
Belt muscle of the head Covers and holds deeper neck muscles in place. It is covered by the upper part of the trapezius muscle.
Start: wide base from the occipital ligament
Attachment: to the lateral part of the superior occipital line and along the posterior edge of the mastoid process - a growth on the temporal bone just behind the ear.
Function: with a unilateral contraction, the muscle turns its head in its direction; with a bilateral contraction, the muscle unbends the cervical part of the spine and tilts its head back.
Belt muscle of the neck
Covered by the trapezius and superior posterior dentate muscle
Start: from the spinous processes 3 - 5 thoracic vertebrae, goes up and out.
Attachment: transverse processes of 2-3 upper cervical vertebrae.
Function: unbends the cervical spine, turns the cervical spine in its direction.
Both muscles tilt the head and neck backward
Staircase
Muscles of the neck of the deep layer of the lateral group. There are 3 pairs:
Anterior scalene muscle
Middle scalene muscle
Posterior scalene muscle
Start:
· Anterior - the transverse processes of the III-VI cervical vertebrae.
Medium - transverse processes of the II-VII cervical vertebrae
Posterior - transverse processes of IV-VI cervical vertebrae
Attachment:
Anterior - anterior tubercle scalene muscle on the I edge.
· Middle - I rib, behind the sulcus of the subclavian artery.
Back - upper edge of the II rib
Function: Raise I, II ribs. Participate in the act of inhalation. With fixed ribs, contracting on both sides, the cervical spine is flexed anteriorly, and with unilateral contraction, it is tilted in its direction
Deltoid
three bundles are distinguished: anterior, middle (lateral), posterior.
Start:
· The anterior group of fibers starts from most of the anterior edge and upper surface of the lateral third of the clavicle.
· Lateral group - from the acromial part of the scapula.
· Back group- from the lower part of the posterior edge of the spine of the scapula along its entire length to the medial edge.
Attachment: to the V-shaped tuberosity ( deltoid tuberosity) on the outer surface humerus.
Function: With the simultaneous contraction of all muscle bundles, it causes the arm to be abducted in the frontal plane. The greatest effectiveness of this movement is achieved in the position of the hand by rotating inward. The antagonists in the abduction of the hand are the pectoralis major and broadest muscles of the back.
· Front beams participate in lateral abduction of the arm during external rotation of the shoulder. Their role in shoulder flexion is small, but they help in this movement of the pectoralis major muscle (elbow just below the shoulder). Contribute to muscles: subclavian, pectoralis major and broadest back with internal rotation of the shoulder.
· Lateral bundles participate in lateral shoulder abduction when it is positioned in internal rotation and in horizontal abduction during its external rotation.
· Rear bundles are heavily involved in horizontal extension, especially due to the small participation of the latissimus dorsi muscle in this movement in the horizontal plane. Other horizontal extensors - infraspinatus and small circular muscles - also work together with the posterior portion of the deltoid muscle as external rotators, antagonistic to internal rotators - large pectoral muscles and the broadest. The posterior portion of the deltoid muscle also plays a large part in the overextension of the shoulder, supported by the long head of the triceps.
Supraspinatus muscle
triangular, completely fills the supraspinatus fossa of the scapula. Muscle bundles, converging in a narrower part of the muscle, pass under the acromion.
Start: supraspinatus fossa of the scapula, supraspinatus fascia
Attachment:, shoulder capsule
Function: It removes the shoulder, pulls back the capsule shoulder joint, a synergist of the deltoid muscle. When contracting, the muscle pulls off the capsule, preventing it from being pinched.
Infraspinatus muscle
It is covered from above and laterally along its length. deltoid muscle, from the medial - trapezoidal, in the lower parts - latissimus back and large round muscle. The middle part is covered with its own fascia. The muscle starts from the entire surface of the infraspinatus fossa of the scapula, leaving the outer edge and lower angle free.
Start: infraspinatus fossa, infraspinatus fascia
Attachment: large tubercle of the humerus
Function: rotates the shoulder outward (supination) and pulls the joint capsule
Small round
The upper edge of the small round muscle is adjacent to the infraspinatus muscle; its posterior part is covered by a large round muscle, and its anterior part is covered by a deltoid muscle.
Start: lateral edge of the scapula, infraspinatus fascia.
Attachment: large tubercle of the humerus
Function: rotates the shoulder outward (supination), Pulls the articular capsule of the shoulder joint
Big round
Throughout the posterior section, it is covered by the latissimus dorsi muscle, in the outer section - by the long head of the triceps muscle of the shoulder, deltoid muscle, and in the middle section - by the thin fascia.
Start: inferior angle of the scapula, infraspinatus fascia
Attachment: crest of the lesser tubercle of the humerus
Function: unbends the shoulder, turns it inward (pronation).
Subscapularis muscle
In the muscle, two layers are distinguished - superficial and deep. Deep bundles start from the costal surface of the scapula, and superficial - from the subscapularis fascia, which is attached to the edges of the subscapular fossa.
Start: rib surface of the scapula
Attachment: lesser tubercle of the humerus
Function: rotates the shoulder inward and brings it to the body; it can also tighten the joint capsule, protecting the latter from being pinched.
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Proximal attachment. The posterior tubercles of the transverse processes of the cervical vertebrae O — NW.
Distal attachment. Spinous processes of the vertebrae TK — T6.
Function. Unilateral action: turning and tilting the neck to the side. Bilateral action: straightening the neck.
Palpation. For localization, the following structures should be identified:
... Trapezius muscle.
... The muscle that lifts the scapula.
To palpate the belt muscle of the neck, sit the patient so that his back rests on the back of the chair. The head should be slightly tilted towards the palpable muscle while relaxing the trapezius muscle and the levator of the scapula. Palpate vertically with one or two fingers between the trapezius muscle and the levator of the scapula.
In this case, the trapezius muscle should be located medially and posteriorly, and the muscle filling the scapula should be lateral and anteriorly. Gently turn the patient's head slightly in the direction opposite to the muscle under study. Palpate the places of local contraction of individual bundles of muscle fibers in the indicated area in the vertical direction.
Pain pattern. Pain in the neck, cerebral part of the skull and orbit. The superior trigger point causes a breaking pain of the side of the head of the same name to the orbit, with possible visual impairment on the same side. The inferior trigger point causes pain that radiates up and to the base of the neck.
Causal or supportive factors.
Postural stresses that overload the muscle, such as moving the head forward to compensate for excess thoracic kyphosis.
Satellites trigger points... The muscle that lifts the scapula, upper trapezius, sternocleidomastoid and belt muscles of the head.
Affected organ system. Vision.
Associated zones, meridians and points.
Dorsal zone; foot meridian Bladder tai-yang.
Stretching exercises. Extend your head forward and towards the unaffected side. Rotate it 30-40 degrees in the same direction. Tilt your head gently downward, this movement should be somewhat more pronounced forward than sideways. This will stretch the muscle on the opposite side.
Strengthening exercise. Isometric tension versus soft resistance. Clasp your arms behind your head at the level of the nuchal line Press your head and neck back against the gentle resistance of your clasped arms.
D. Finando, C. Finando
A person performs all his actions with the help of muscles. The main functions of the muscular apparatus are: keeping the human body in a state of balance and ensuring its mobility. Muscles allow people to move in space, protect internal organs, provide respiratory, swallowing and other movements necessary for the life support of the body. total weight functional tissue in an adult is about one third of its weight, and the total amount is more than six hundred different muscles.
Belt muscle of the head: anatomy and function
Consider one of the main ones. The belt is located below the trapezoidal one and is covered by its upper section. It starts from the bulge behind the ear, then runs diagonally to the vertebrae in the middle of the neck and upper back at the level between the third and fifth thoracic vertebrae. When the head is lowered back and forth, to the side, when it rotates and straightens the neck, the belt muscle of the head is involved, the functions of which are to perform these movements.
Symptoms and causes of muscle damage
Like all organs in the human body, muscles are susceptible to disease and damage. A person develops painful and unpleasant symptoms when the belt muscle of the head is affected. The upper parietal region hurts, the pain is localized inside the skull behind the eyeball. Pain shoots from the occiput to the eyeball can be observed. This pain is often referred to as acute intracranial pain. In patients, visual impairment is observed on the side where the belt muscles of the head and neck are affected. Along with the listed symptoms, patients have neck pain.
The causes of damage to the belt muscle of the head can be:
- neck injury;
- strong or sudden overload;
- long-term retention of the position of the tilt of the head and neck forward;
- constant stoop.
The fatigued are very susceptible to injury when exposed to the flow of cold air.
Diagnostics
A palpation procedure will help diagnose a condition when the belt muscle of the head is inflamed. It should only be performed by an experienced medical specialist. During palpation, painful points are revealed at the attachment points of the belt muscle, the upper part and the muscle that lifts the scapula. The patient's head is tilted towards the affected tissue. This procedure relaxes the muscles. The space between the base of the neck and the shoulder girdle is palpated, while the patient's head is turned in the opposite direction from the affected muscle to stretch it. Palpation is exposed and top part muscle in the place where its upper ends meet - trapezoidal and sternoclavicular-mastoid. Painful sensations in the patient during palpation will help identify foci of muscle damage and take measures to eliminate them.
To determine pain when performing active and passive movements, a study of the range of movements is carried out.
Prevention
So that the belt muscle of the head does not cause painful sensations and does not cause the appearance of other symptoms of its inflammation, doctors recommend following a few simple rules:
- Under no circumstances should you engage in self-diagnosis and self-medication. If symptoms of the disease appear, it is necessary to consult a specialist doctor for diagnostics and prescribing treatment, performing procedures.
- It is necessary to monitor your posture: avoid strong or constant tension in the cervical spine, do not tilt your head too much when working at a computer, when reading, at the workplace.
- At home and in production, you must perform gymnastic exercises for the shoulder and cervical back.
- Avoid drafts.
Treatment
To treat the painful condition of the belt muscle of the head, a procedure is used.It consists in joint manipulations of the patient and the doctor, aimed at the transition from passive stretching of the belt muscle of the head to gradual and gradual stretching of the muscle and keeping it in a new position. This procedure allows you to remove painful sensations and restore elasticity to the muscle. This method of treatment is also carried out at home.
Belt muscle of the head, like others long muscles neck, often becomes a source of pain, which will help to cope with massage and self-massage. Treatment procedures are carried out by professional massage therapists in specialized institutions. To perform self-massage, you need to lie with the back of your head on a pillow, while the muscle relaxes and becomes easy to feel. It is necessary to grab the belt muscle of the head between the fingers. At the same time, movements should be light and slow. To eliminate pain and tension, self-massage should be prolonged.