MUSCLE ORIGIN, INSERTION,

AND ACTION LIST CHARTS

Muscles of Facial Expression (that do not work by crossing a joint)

ACTION ORIGIN INSERTION

Orbicularis oculi Closes eye (squint), Frontal bone and Eyelid

lowers eyebrows maxilla
Orbicularis oris Closes lips (purses, Maxilla and mandible Skin and muscle
protrudes) around mouth
Zygomaticus major Raises corners of Zygomatic bone Skin and muscle at
mouth (smile) corner of mouth
Buccinator Compress cheeks Mandible and maxilla Orbicularis oris
(whistling, sucking) molar regions
Frontalis Raise eyebrows Epicranial aponeurosis Skin of eyebrows

Muscles that act on the Jaw (for mastication and facial expression)
ACTION ORIGIN INSERTION

Elevates mandible (as in closing Zygomatic arch and Mandible ramus and
Masseter
mouth while chewing) bone angle
Temporal, frontal, Coronoid process of
Temporalis Elevates mandible
parietal bones mandible
Pulls lower lip down (as in
frowning)
Mandible, skin of lower
Platysma Depresses mandible (opening Pectoralis muscle
face
mouth as when chewing or
surprised)

Muscle Origin, Insertion, and Action List Charts 81

Muscles that act on Neck (to move head)
ACTION ORIGIN INSERTION
Both sides: flexes neck
Mastoid process of
Sternocleidomastoid (as in looking down) Manubrium, clavicle
temporal bone
One side: cocks head
Both sides: extends neck
Nuchal line and mastoid
Splenius capitis (as in looking up) C7 to T3 (variable)
process
One side: cocks head

Muscles that act on Shoulder (to move the arm)

ACTION ORIGIN INSERTION

Flexion and medial rotation Deltoid tuberosity of

Deltoid (anterior) Clavicle
of humerus at shoulder humerus
Abducts humerus at shoulder Deltoid tuberosity of
Deltoid (middle) Acromion
(as in upward flap) humerus
Extension and lateral rotation Deltoid tuberosity of
Deltoid (posterior) Scapular spine
of humerus at shoulder humerus
Flexion, adduction, medial
Sternum to rib 7
rotation of humerus at Intertubercular groove of
Pectoralis major Medial half of
shoulder (as in overhead fist humerus
clavicle
raise, or bench press motion)
Extension, adduction, Intertubercular groove of
T7 to L5, ribs 10 to
Latissimus dorsi medially rotation humerus at humerus (muscle travels
12, iliac crest
shoulder (gym lat pull-downs) under axillary region)

Rotator Cuff Muscles (ALL these small muscles help to keep head of
humerus snug in glenoid fossa)
ACTION ORIGIN INSERTION

Medially rotates humerus at Subscapular fossa of Lesser tubercle of

Subscapularis
shoulder. Stabilizes shoulder. scapula anterior humerus

Abducts arm at shoulder. Supraspinous fossa of Greater tubercle of

Supraspinatus
Stabilizes shoulder . scapula top of humerus

Middle part of greater

Laterally rotates humerus at Infraspinous fossa of
Infraspinatus tubercle of posterior
shoulder. Stabilizes shoulder. scapula
humerus
Inferior part of greater
Laterally rotates humerus at Lateral border of
Teres minor tubercle of posterior
shoulder. Stabilizes shoulder. scapula
humerus

82 Muscle Origin, Insertion, and Action List Charts

Muscles that act on Scapula (to move shoulder)
ACTION ORIGIN INSERTION
Elevates and retracts scapula Medial border of
Levator scapulae (as in bringing shoulder up C1 to C4 scapula, superior to
and in toward ear) spine

Rhomboideus Retracts scapula (as in pulling Medial border of

T2 to T5
major the shoulders back) scapula

Protracts scapula (which

Serratus anterior pushes the arm forward in
front of the scapula, as in
punching or hugging)
Elevates scapula (as in
Trapezius (upper)
shrugging)
Anterior surface of
Ribs 1 to 9 vertebral border of
scapula
Lateral 1/3 clavicle
Occipital bone, C1-C7
and acromion process

Retracts scapula (as in pulling

Trapezius (middle) T1 to T5 Spine of scapula
shoulders back)

Retracts and depresses

Medial 1/3 of scapula
Trapezius (lower) scapula (as in pulling T6 to T12
spine
shoulders back and down)

Muscles that act on the Elbow (to move the forearm)

ACTION ORIGIN INSERTION

Flexes elbow (as in bringing a Anterior distal shaft of Coronoid

Brachialis
spoon to your mouth)
Pronates forearm at elbow (as in
Pronator teres
turning a doorknob laterally)
Flexes elbow, supinates forearm
Biceps brachii (as in scooping up water in your
hand to drink)
Extends forearm at elbow (as in
Triceps brachii lowering a spoon back to the
table)
humerus process of ulna
Medial epicondyle of
Lateral midshaft
humerus, coronoid process
of radius
of ulna
Long head: supraglenoid
tubercle of scapula Radial
Short head: coracoid process tuberosity
of scapula
Long head: infraglenoid
tubercle of scapula
Lateral head: posterior Olecranon of
proximal shaft of humerus ulna
Medial head: posterior distal
shaft of humerus

Muscle Origin, Insertion, and Action List Charts 83

Muscles that act on Wrist (to move the hand and fingers)
ACTION ORIGIN INSERTION

Extensor carpi Extends wrist, radially Lateral epicondyle of

Metacarpal III (base)
radialis brevis deviates wrist (aBduction) humerus
Flexes wrist, radially
Medial epicondyle of Metacarpals II and III
Flexor carpi radialis deviates wrist
humerus (base)
(aBduction)
Lateral epicondyle of
Extensor carpi Extends wrist, ulnar
humerus, posterior shaft Metacarpal V (base)
ulnaris deviates wrist (aDduction)
of ulna
Flexes wrist, ulnar
Medial epicondyle of Pisiform, hamate,
Flexor carpi ulnaris deviates wrist
humerus metacarpal V (base)
(aDduction)
Extends digits of hand, Lateral epicondyle of Dorsal side of digits
Extensor digitorum
and wrist humerus 2 to 5
Flexes digits of the hand, Medial epicondyle of Anterior side of digits
Flexor digitorum
and wrist humerus 2 to 5

Muscles that act on Vertebral Column

ACTION ORIGIN INSERTION
One side: lateral flexion of vertebral
column
Spinalis thoracis T11 to L2 T3 to T7
Both sides: extension and
hyperextension of vertebral column

Compresses abdomen, flexes Pubis crest and Xiphoid process, costal

Rectus abdominis
vertebral column symphysis cartilage 5 to 7

Muscles of Breathing (muscles that work on the vertebral column)

ACTION ORIGIN INSERTION

Pulls ribs up toward origin,

Inferior border of rib Superior borders of rib
External intercostals elevates ribcage to cause
above below
inspiration
Xiphoid process,
Diaphragm drops down Central tendon (in
ribs 10 to 12, costal
Diaphragm to enlarge thoracic cavity, center of the disc
cartilage 5 to 9,
causing inspiration shaped diaphragm)
lumbar vertebrae 1-5

84 Muscle Origin, Insertion, and Action List Charts

Muscles that act at Hip (to move leg)
ACTION ORIGIN INSERTION

From lesser trochanter

Pubis and pubic
Pectineus Flexes hip, adducts leg to superior part of linea
ramus
aspera of femur

Linea aspera (shorter

Superior ramus of
Adductor longus Flexes hip, adducts leg insertion than adductor
pubis
magnus)

Linea aspera of femur

Adductor magnus Extends hip, adducts leg Inferior ischial ramus

Extends hip (as in pushing

Gluteal tuberosity of
Gluteus maximus down while climbing a Ilium, sacrum, coccyx
femur
stair), rotates leg laterally

Adducts leg at hip, flexes Medial aspect of proximal

Gracilis Pubis
knee tibia

(tenses or stabilizes hip Iliac crest near

Tensor fasciae latae and knee joints), abducts anterior superior Lateral condyle of tibia
leg at hip spine

Flexes hip (as in lifting leg Vertebral bodies T12 Lesser trochanter of
Psoas major
to place on stair) to L5 femur

Flexes hip and flexes knee,

Anterior superior Medial aspect of tibial
Sartorius laterally rotates thigh (into
iliac spine tuberosity
cross legged position)

Muscles that Flex Knee (hamstrings work as a group, as when pulling

back in preparation to kick a ball)
ACTION ORIGIN INSERTION

Long head: Ischial

Extends hip, flexes knee, tuberosity
Biceps femoris Head of fibula
laterally rotates leg Short head: Posterior
mid-shaft of femur
Posterior medial condyle
Semimembranosus Extends hip, flexes knee Ischial tuberosity
of tibia
Medial surface of
proximal tibia (slightly
Semitendinosus Extends hip, flexes knee Ischial tuberosity
anterior to insertion of
semimembranosus)

Muscle Origin, Insertion, and Action List Charts 85

Muscles that Extend Knee (quadriceps work as a group, as when kick-
ing a ball)
ACTION ORIGIN INSERTION

Greater trochanter, lateral lip

of linea aspera Tibial tuberosity and
Vastus lateralis Extends knee
(wraps around to anterior patella
surface)
Intertrochanteric line, medial
Tibial tuberosity and
Vastus medialis Extends knee lip of linea aspera (wraps
patella
around to anterior surface)
Tibial tuberosity and
Vastus intermedius Extends knee Anterior shaft of femur
patella
Extends knee, flexes Anterior inferior iliac spine of Tibial tuberosity and
Rectus femoris
hip (kicking a ball) coxal bone patella

Muscles that act on Ankle (to move foot)

ACTION ORIGIN INSERTION
Proximal third of tibia
Soleus Plantar flexion at ankle Calcaneus
and fibula
Plantar flexion at ankle, Medial and lateral
Gastrocnemius Calcaneus
flexes knee epicondyles of femur
Dorsiflexion and Lateral condyle and Medial cuneiform, under
Tibialis anterior
inversion at ankle antero-lateral tibia metatarsal 1

86 Muscle Origin, Insertion, and Action List Charts