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Spinalis: anatomy, location and function

The most medial column of the erector spinae group, lying beside the spinous processes. Extends the vertebral column and helps keep it upright.

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Highlighted in the model: Spinalis. Click any part to read about it, or switch off “Highlight topic” to see the whole body. 3D data: BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science, CC BY 4.0; meshes simplified and recoloured. The model is an adult male.

Spinalis at a glance

What it is
The most medial column of the erector spinae group, lying beside the spinous processes.
Location
Arises from and inserts onto spinous processes of the vertebral column; divided into thoracis, cervicis and capitis parts.
Function
Extends the vertebral column and helps keep it upright.
Body system
Muscular · single, midline structure
FMA ID
FMA77179 (Foundational Model of Anatomy)

Key facts

  • Innervation: dorsal rami of spinal nerves
  • The cervical and capitis parts are small and often poorly developed

Structures next to the spinalis

The nearest named structures in the 3D model, measured from the centre of each part:

References

  1. Foundational Model of Anatomy: Spinalis (FMA77179). EMBL-EBI Ontology Lookup Service.
  2. OpenStax. Anatomy and Physiology 2e, §11.2 Naming Skeletal Muscles. Rice University, 2022.
  3. Mitsuhashi N. et al. (2009). BodyParts3D: 3D structure database for anatomical concepts. Nucleic Acids Research 37, D782–D785. Data © The Database Center for Life Science, CC BY 4.0.

Related anatomy

Explore the whole body in the interactive 3D human anatomy model, or browse the A–Z list of human structures.