Suboccipital Muscles

Where are the Suboccipital Muscles?

The suboccipitals are a group for four small muscles that attach at the C1 or C2 vertebrae. The are located at the top of the neck.

These are four paired muscles

 

Suboccipital muscles

Three of these muscles touch the base of the occiput which is the back of the skull.

The sub-occipital area consists of thick muscles that are susceptible to becoming tense and tight. This technique can be utilized to stretch and soften the sub-occipital muscles and to allow more space into the upper cervical (neck) and occipital (base of skull) area.

 


What is the function of the Suboccipital Muscles

The sub-occipital muscles are responsible for head movement; rocking, tilting and rotating to either side. These muscles also stabilize the head as it sits on C1, which sits on C2.