In a freak hunting accident, a 17-year-old boy was shot with an arrow that penetrated into his Suboccipital Triangle, injuring the Suboccipital Nerve between the Veebral Aery and the Posterior Arch of the Atlas. Which of the following muscles would be unaffected by such a Lesion?
The splenius capitis is innervated by dorsal primary rami of the middle and lower cervical nerves. The suboccipital nerve (dorsal primary ramus of C1) supplies the muscles of the suboccipital area, including the rectus capitis posterior major, obliquus capitis superior and inferior, and the semispinalis capitis. Note Rectus capitis posterior minor remains intact because it is not associated with C2 veebrae fracture
Rectus Capitis Posterior Major
Semispinalis Capitis
Splenius Capitis
Obliquus Capitis Superior
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