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Thoracic rotator: anatomy, location and function

Small muscles deep in the groove between the spinous and transverse processes of thoracic vertebrae, called rotatores thoracis. Stabilize the vertebral column and help rotate it to the opposite side; their role is largely proprioceptive.

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Structures

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Highlighted in the model: Thoracic rotator. 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.

Thoracic rotator at a glance

What it is
Small muscles deep in the groove between the spinous and transverse processes of thoracic vertebrae, called rotatores thoracis.
Location
Arise from the transverse process of one vertebra and insert onto the lamina or base of the spinous process of the vertebra above.
Function
Stabilize the vertebral column and help rotate it to the opposite side; their role is largely proprioceptive.
Body system
Muscular · single, midline structure
FMA ID
FMA23083 (Foundational Model of Anatomy)

Key facts

  • Innervation: dorsal rami of thoracic spinal nerves
  • Best developed in the thoracic region

Structures next to the thoracic rotator

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

References

  1. Foundational Model of Anatomy: Thoracic rotator (FMA23083). 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.