Musculi intertransversarii cervicis
Small segmental muscles between the transverse processes of adjacent cervical vertebrae. Provide fine lateral flexion control and proprioceptive feedback for neck position.
Origin: Transverse process of one cervical vertebra
Insertion: Transverse process of the adjacent cervical vertebra
Action: Lateral flexion of individual cervical segments; proprioceptive stabilization of the neck
Innervation: Ventral branches of cervical spinal nerves (segmental)
Dysfunction of these small muscles impairs the neck's ability to bend smoothly through each segment, creating a stiff or wooden appearance to lateral neck flexion.
Dysfunction of these small muscles impairs the neck's ability to bend smoothly through each segment, creating a stiff or wooden appearance to lateral neck flexion. Signs include: Neck bends as a unit rather than through each vertebra; stiffness on circles; difficulty with lateral work requiring neck flexion; improved with mobilization exercises.
See the Intertransversarii Cervicis on our interactive 3D horse model. Open 3D Model