Obliquus capitis superior (Musculus obliquus capitis superior)
Educational content only — not medical advice.
Anatomy
One of the four suboccipital muscles fine-tuning the atlanto-occipital joint for visual balance, from the atlas transverse process to the occipital bone.
Origin & insertion
Transverse process of the atlas.
Action
Fine side-bending of the head toward its side and steadies the atlanto-occipital joint during reading and gaze.
Innervation
Posterior ramus of C1 (suboccipital nerve).
Clinical notes
Its fatigue with the other suboccipitals tilts the head at screens and worsens visual strain; the suboccipital triangle it bounds is the neurosurgical corridor to the vertebral artery.
Related structures
Educational references
FAQ
What is the role of the Obliquus capitis superior?
One of the four suboccipital muscles fine-tuning the atlanto-occipital joint for visual balance, from the atlas transverse process to the occipital bone.
Why is the Obliquus capitis superior clinically important?
Its fatigue with the other suboccipitals tilts the head at screens and worsens visual strain; the suboccipital triangle it bounds is the neurosurgical corridor to the vertebral artery.
Source & license
BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science licensed under CC Attribution 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). license details