Origin: nuchal ligament, spinous process of C7-T3

Insertion: mastoid process of temporal bone, lateral third of the superior nuchal line

Action: bilaterally-extend the head, unilaterally-laterally bends and rotates face to same side

Innervation: dorsal rami of lower cervical nerves

Blood Supply: descending branch of the occipital artery, deep cervical artery

Origin: spinous process T3-T6

Insertion: transverse processes (C1-C3)

Action: bilaterally-extend neck, unilaterally-laterally bend and rotates neck towards same side

Innervation: dorsal rami of lower cervical nerves

Blood supply: descending brach of occipital artery, deep cervical artery

Erector Spinae

Origin: posterior sacrum, iliac crest, sacrospinous ligament, supra-spinous processes of lower lumbar and sacral vertebrae

Insertion: Iliocostalis:angles of lower ribs, cervical transverse processes

Longissimus: between tubercles and angles of ribs, transverse processes of thoracic and cervical vertebrae, mastoid process

Spinalis: spinous processes of upper thoracic and midcervical vertebrae

Action: extends and laterally bends vertebral column and head

Innervation: dorsal rami of each region

Blood Supply: Cervical: occipital, deep cervical and vertebral arteries

Thoracic: dorsal branches of posterior intercostal, subcostal and lumbar arteries

Sacral: dorsal branches of sacral arteries

Origin: transverse processes of C4-T12

Insertion: spinous processes of cervical and thoracic regions

Action: extends head, neck and thorax and rotates them to opposite side

Innervation: dorsal rami of spinal nerve

Blood supply: cervical portion: occipital, deep cervical, vertebral arteries

thoracic portion: dorsal branches of posterior intercostal arteries

Origin: sacrum, ilium, transverse processes of T1-T12, and articular processes of C4-C7

Insertion: spinous processes of vertebrae above, spanning two to four segments

Action: stabilize spine

Innervation: dorsal rami of each region

Blood Supply: cervical portions: sub occipital, deep cervical, and vertebral arteries

thoracic portions: dorsal branches of posterior intercostal, subcostal and lumbar arteries

lumbar portions: dorsal branches of lateral sacral arteries

Origin: transverse processes of cervical, thoracic and lumbar regions

Insertion: lamina and transverse process of spine avocet, spanning one or two segments 

Action: stabilizes, extends, and rotates spine

Innervation: dorsal rami fo spinal nerves

Blood Supply: dorsal branches of segmental arteries

Interspinalis Muscle

Origin: spinous processes

Insertion: adjacent spinous process

Action:aid in extension of vertebral column

Innervation: dorsal rami of spinal nerves

Blood Supply: cervical portions: sub occipital, deep cervical and vertebral arteries

thoracic portion: dorsal branches of the posterior intercostal, subcostal, and lumbar arteries

lumbar portion: dorsal branches of lateral sacral arteries

Intertransversarii Muscle

Origin: extend between adjacent transverse processes of vertebrae

Insertion: extend between adjacent transverse processes of vertebrae

Action: aid in lateral flexion of vertebral column

Innervation: dorsal rami of spinal nerve

Blood Supply: cervical portion: occipital, deep cervical and vertebral arteries

thoracic portion: dorsal branches of posterior intercostal arteries

lumbar: dorsal branches of lumbar arteries

Levatorus Costarum

Origin:

Insertion:

Action: elevate ribs, aid in lateral flexion of vertebral column

Innervation:

Blood Supply:

suboccipital nerve (dorsal rams of C1)

vertebral artery

Rectus Capitis Posterior Major

Origin: spine of axis
Insertion: inferior nuchal line

Action: extends and rotates head to same side

Innervation: suboccipital nerve

Blood Supply: vertebral artery, descending branch of occipital artery

Rectus capitis posterior minor

Origin: tubercle of posterior arch of atlas

Insertion: median inferior nuchal line

Action: extends head

Innervation: suboccipital nerve

Blood supply: vertebral artery, descending branch of occipital artery

Obliquus Capitis Superior Muscle

Origin: transverse process of atlas

Insertion: occipital bone

Action: extends and bends head laterally

Innervation: suboccipital nerve

Blood Supply: vertebral artery, descending branch of occipital artery

Obliquus Capitis Inferior

Origin: spine of axis

Insertion: transverse process of atlas

Action: rotates atlas to turn face to same side

Innervation: suboccipital nerve

Blood supply: vertebral artery, descending branch of occipital artery