The muscles on a person's back form a unique corset that helps keep the spinal column upright. Correct posture is the basis of human beauty and he alth. Doctors can list diseases that occur due to poor posture for a long time. A strong muscular corset protects the spine from injury, pinching and provides proper mobility. To better understand how the human body works, what exercises should be done to strengthen it, we suggest reading this article. In it, you will learn about all the muscles of the human back and what functions they perform.
The structure of the human back
Since school days, we have known the expression "A he althy mind in a he althy body." This is especially true of the back, because most of the problems come from the disease of the spine. Why is this happening? Our back is a frame that holds all our organs in the correct position. When posture is disturbed, different parts suffer: the lungs decrease in volume, followed by a violationblood circulation of the brain and other unpleasant things. And what can I say, every second inhabitant of Russia has osteochondrosis. Understanding the anatomy of the muscles of the back and lower back will allow you to understand how to properly strengthen your back and improve well-being without harm to he alth and injury.
Muscles are divided into groups - each of them is named according to the area to which it belongs. In total, as many as 32 bones form the back, which can be divided into five sections:
- Department running along the spine. It is along it that the longest muscle passes.
- Department in the area of the shoulder blades.
- The muscles that help raise the shoulder blades and arms are the subscapularis.
- The zone of the belt, which is responsible for the correct curvature of the spine (lordosis).
- Sacral department.
The back is one of the largest surfaces and contains many large and strong muscles. They are divided into superficial and deep, which are associated with the spine. Knowledge of the muscles is especially relevant for those who visit the gym. Often, beginners do not pay attention to the back: men shake their arms, and women shake their legs and buttocks. However, a beautiful back and posture are one of the key components of an attractive look. Therefore, if you want to please others, you cannot do without strong muscles on your back.
Muscle Functions
No exercise will last long if you don't have enough motivation. But if you know how the human spine and back muscles are arranged, and what they are responsible for, you can achieve great results. After all, then during sports you willit’s not just pointless to repeat the trainer’s tasks, but you will feel every muscle, thus bringing the exercises to perfection. What are the functions of the back muscles?
They are:
- Straight posture primarily ensures sufficient oxygen supply to the brain. Hence the lack of fatigue, headaches, dizziness, loss of efficiency. A person with a he althy back is much more efficient and happier in his life.
- Fixation of the vertebrae between each other in order to ensure sufficient mobility of the body (tilts, turns, bends, etc.)
- Maintain an upright position for upright posture.
- Soothing walking, running, small bumps and bumps that inevitably accompany our movements.
- He althy longevity. The human spine is evolutionarily not designed to exist for more than 40-50 years. For our ancestors, this was the maximum life expectancy. Therefore, if you do not want to constantly experience pain and discomfort associated with the spine, it is better to start forming a muscular corset from a young age.
- Maintaining all organs in the correct position. With proper posture, the lungs are straightened, blood circulates freely, the heart and other organs are in a physiological position, not pinched by other organs.
Now, having made sure of the importance of correct posture and developed muscles, we can proceed to the study of their anatomy.
Deep and superficial muscles
Knowing the localization and type of muscles can help to correctly placediagnosis when examining the patient and understand what the problem is. All muscles in the human body are arranged in layers, and the back of the body is no exception. Among the superficial muscles, the following are distinguished:
- widest;
- trapezoidal;
- diamond-shaped (large and small);
- scapular;
- serratus posterior superior and inferior.
Deep muscles, which are closest to the bones, include the following:
- straight;
- transverse spinous;
- interspinous;
- transverse spinous.
Trapezius
Three layers of superficial muscles begin with the trapezius, which looks like a triangle, tapering downwards. The trapezius muscle of the back is divided into two parts by the spine. As a matter of fact, it is because of this that she got her name. The muscle originates from the skull, its lateral parts are attached to the collarbones and scapula, and the bottom is located approximately in the middle of the spine. If you put both sides together, you get a trapezoid. What processes does she participate in:
- Partially controls the movement of the shoulder blades. For example, if you need to pull your shoulder blades together or bring them towards your spine, you can't do it without your trapezius.
- Raises and lowers shoulder blades.
- Pulls head back. The process starts when we try to bring the shoulder blades together. The fact is that it is the trapezius muscle that, due to its design, simultaneously pulls the neck a little back. Therefore, straightening the chest areaback, we automatically raise the chin higher, while the blood circulation in the neck is restored.
Muscle fibers of the trapezius muscle of the back "look" in one direction - to the scapula.
Widest
The latissimus dorsi muscle is located in the widest part of the back, hence its name. Its area is the largest. On the entire back surface of the back, it takes up a lot of space, and is one of the strongest muscles. It consists of several departments. It is attached to the vertebrae of the lower back and sacrum. The upper part diverges to the four lower ribs on either side of the back. The upper bundles of muscles partially cover the lower part of the scapula and then are attached to the armpits, forming the wall of the axillary cavity. The latissimus dorsi has several functions:
- Brings the shoulder to the torso. With this movement, other muscles are involved, but the latissimus dorsi is the leading one.
- May participate in respiration by helping the lungs contract. But the muscle can perform this function only if the person's hands are fixed motionless.
Why, despite the small number of functions performed, is the latissimus dorsi muscle so strongly developed? The fact is that in the past, when prehistoric man still moved with the help of his hands, this part was of key importance. It was with the help of this muscle that a person pulled himself up and threw himself over the branches of trees. And since the evolutionary human body has not undergone very many changes, the latissimus dorsi muscle remained to occupy most of the back.
Diamond-shaped
The rhomboids are part of the second layer of her corset. In shape, they resemble a rectangle with beveled edges, in other words, a rhombus. There are large and small rhomboid muscles. Each of them has a unique structure and set of functions. The small rhomboid muscle of the back is narrow and located closer to the shoulder blade. It is attached to the two upper vertebrae, and its lower part is adjacent to the medial edge of the scapula. This muscle is responsible for lifting the scapula up and bringing it to the middle of the back.
The large rhomboid muscle is located down from the small. It is attached to the 4 upper vertebrae, and the lower part to the lower part of the scapula. The large and small muscles work together to lift the scapula. The rhomboid muscle also has the function of rotating the scapula slightly inward at the lower end. It is the underdevelopment of these muscles that leads to the so-called "wings" in humans, when the shoulder blades are not brought to the spine, but go forward. This makes the person look stooped.
Toothed
The anatomy of the back muscles would be incomplete without a description of the structure of the serratus muscles. Although they occupy a relatively small area, their role is very important in maintaining he alth. There are several dentate muscles: upper and lower. Both make up the third layer of the superficial frame of the back. Serratus posterior superioris located in the upper back. At one end it is attached to the two lower cervical and upper thoracic vertebrae, and at the other end to the nuchal ligament. It is interesting that this muscle can either be completely absent or be in quantity.several bundles. It all depends on the fitness of the person and how often he puts a load on his back. The serratus posterior superior muscle is involved in breathing by pushing the ribs apart and increases the volume of the lungs when inhaling.
The serratus posterior inferior muscle is attached to the border of the lumbar and thoracic region. Its upper part looks towards the 9th-12th ribs, and the lower part looks towards the upper cingulate vertebrae. It goes along the ribs, located on top of the lower respiratory tract. That is why it is an additional respiratory muscle, helping the lungs to contract in case of respiratory failure.
Scapular
The levator scapula together with the rhomboid form the second layer of the superficial muscular corset. It belongs to the upper back muscles and is attached to the four cervical vertebrae. Its lower part is located in the upper corner and in the middle of the shoulder blade. The scapular muscle is located under the layer of the trapezius muscle, it has an elongated shape with a thickening in the center. Based on the name, it immediately becomes clear that this part of the muscle corset helps to lift the shoulder blade up. It is she who is responsible for the mobility of the scapula and its rotation while we raise our hand up.
Disturbances in the work of the muscle that lifts the scapula lead to pain and malfunction of other muscles. This is especially true after heavy lifting or injury. In order for the body to function properly, doctors recommend doing special exercises aimed at strengthening the corset, massage andphysiotherapy treatments.
Transverse spinous muscle
These two components of the deep back muscles help keep the back straight and keep us flexible and mobile. The fact is that they are close to the spine and provide a variety of movements: turns, bends and twists. The transverse spinous muscle is covered by the longest and consists of short fibers woven together. It is named so because it is attached to the area between the spinous and transverse sections of the vertebrae. This muscle of the back and the spine are closely related. What functions does it perform? Firstly, it fits the vertebrae with a kind of shock-absorbing coating, which smooths out concussions from impacts, running and jumping. Secondly, it provides the mobility of the spine. The bundles of muscle that connect several vertebrae provide flexibility and the ability to flex and extend the back. In addition, the transversospinous muscle is necessary for fixing the spine in an upright position. Its fibers firmly bind the vertebrae vertically, holding them straight. Of course, not only thanks to this muscle a person can walk straight, but it plays an irreplaceable role.
Longest muscle
Next to the transverse spinous is one of the longest and most powerful back muscles. It is called the sacrospinous. As the name implies, its lower end is attached to the pelvis and sacrum, and the upper end to the cervical vertebrae. The longissimus muscle consists of two parallel deep muscles of the back, which have one function and act asback extensor. It is this part of the muscle corset that forms the correct posture, so during training this area should be given special attention. In total, several parts are distinguished in the longest muscle of the back:
- Chest muscle - starts from the sacrum and attaches to the lower ribs.
- Muscle of the neck - attached to the 4th thoracic vertebrae and lower cervical, its upper end is located at the fifth cervical vertebra.
- The longissimus capitis muscle - originates in the cervical region and attaches to the mastoid process.
Thus, the longissimus dorsi muscle not only straightens the spine, but also participates in holding the head. In addition, it provides mobility of the spinal column. If the muscles in one part contract, then the person's back leans in that direction.
Other
What back muscles can still be identified? In addition to the above, there are several more that are smaller in size, but still indispensable for a fulfilling life:
- Large round muscle of the back - starts from the lower edge of the shoulder blade, then goes to the humerus. Covered by the latissimus dorsi. This muscle is responsible for bringing the arm to the body, as well as for its rotation.
- Interspinous muscle - its fibers are located across the vertebrae, they are stretched between their spinous processes. It forms part of the deep muscles that help keep the back upright.
- Intertransverse muscles - fibers have a diagonal direction, they are stretched between the transverse processes of the vertebrae. They are also responsible for walking upright and tilting the back from side to side.
A little more about muscles
In order to understand how the muscular frame of the human back works, you need to know a few more concepts. Above, we described the superficial and deep muscles, since they are the most basic. But besides them, there are several more groups that take part in the movement of the back:
- The oblique muscles are named so because they are located diagonally. They, like the deep muscles, help to keep the correct posture and make a variety of movements.
- Striated muscles got their name from their structure. They are also called skeletal.
- Fascia is a sheath of muscles that protects them from tearing and damage by tying bundles of fibers together.
At first glance, the anatomy of the back may seem rather complicated, but after a while this sensation passes. Memorization is helped by diagrams and images of muscles, which clearly show where which group of fibers is located. If you devote some time to studying the back muscle groups, you can train much more effectively and, as a result, improve your he alth. With this knowledge, during the exercise you will better feel which muscles are involved. The human body is designed in an amazing way: it is rare that only one muscle takes part in any movement. A simple turn or lean requires complex work of several muscle groups.
Exercise to strengthen the back
After you have studied the back muscle groups, you canput your knowledge into practice. Strength training is an effective tool to combat curvature, scoliosis and poor posture. Even if you do not have any problems, strengthening the muscle corset will be an excellent prevention. Indeed, now it is rare that a person has sufficient physical activity in order to maintain his he alth without additional effort. And sedentary work is the number one enemy of the spine.
For both beginners and experienced visitors to fitness clubs, basic exercises are considered indispensable, which are available to everyone and should be the basis of every workout. For the back, the following exercises are most effective:
- The pull-ups on the bar train a large muscle group. In this exercise, almost all the superficial muscles of the back and biceps are involved. For beginners, you can do a lightweight version on the counterweight machine, which slightly reduces the load.
- The deadlift is a versatile exercise that strengthens not only the back muscles, but also the back of the thigh and buttocks. If you do this exercise at the beginning of each workout 15-20 times, then you will not only strengthen the muscle corset, but also significantly increase the effectiveness of the workout.
- The bent over dumbbell row is a good rhomboid workout. The exercise goes like this: a person rests on a horizontal surface with one side of the body, and with the other hand bends the arm at the elbow, bringing the dumbbell to the stomach.
It is necessary to start doing strength exercises on the back under the supervision of a professional trainer. Wrongtechnology and non-compliance with safety rules can cost you dearly, so the first steps are best taken with an experienced person. Also, these exercises are contraindicated for those who have an intervertebral hernia and pinched vertebrae.
