Strap muscles of the neck

From WikiMD's Food, Medicine & Wellness Encyclopedia

Strap Muscles of the Neck

Strap muscles of the neck, as illustrated in Gray's Anatomy.

The strap muscles of the neck are a group of muscles found in the anterior part of the neck. These muscles include the sternohyoid, sternothyroid, thyrohyoid, and omohyoid muscles. They are so named because of their long, flat appearance, resembling a strap.

Anatomy[edit | edit source]

The strap muscles are located in the anterior triangle of the neck, and are responsible for movements of the hyoid bone, larynx, and sternum. They are innervated by the ansa cervicalis, a part of the cervical plexus.

Sternohyoid[edit | edit source]

The sternohyoid muscle is a thin, narrow muscle attaching the hyoid bone to the sternum. It acts to depress the hyoid bone.

Sternothyroid[edit | edit source]

The sternothyroid muscle is located beneath the sternohyoid muscle, and acts to depress the thyroid cartilage.

Thyrohyoid[edit | edit source]

The thyrohyoid muscle is a small, quadrilateral muscle appearing like an upward continuation of the sternothyroid muscle. It acts to depress the hyoid bone and elevate the larynx.

Omohyoid[edit | edit source]

The omohyoid muscle is a two-bellied muscle which depresses and retracts the hyoid bone.

Function[edit | edit source]

The strap muscles play a crucial role in swallowing and speech by altering the position of the hyoid bone and larynx.

Clinical significance[edit | edit source]

Due to their location, the strap muscles may be affected in neck surgeries and procedures, such as thyroidectomy and tracheostomy.

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]



Wiki.png

Navigation: Wellness - Encyclopedia - Health topics - Disease Index‏‎ - Drugs - World Directory - Gray's Anatomy - Keto diet - Recipes

Search WikiMD


Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD

WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. See full disclaimer.

Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.

Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD