Multifidus Muscle

Description

Deep to the trapezius and rhomboid major and minor, the multifidus forms a segmented column of muscle along the posterior cervical and upper thoracic spine in a male trunk. Short, obliquely oriented fascicles arise from the transverse processes and articular processes and run superomedially to insert onto the spinous processes and adjacent laminae of vertebrae one to several levels above, filling the interspinous gutters on either side of the midline. Laterally, the multifidus blends with the deep plane of the erector spinae, while the scapulae sit posterolaterally over the upper ribs and thoracic cage, framing the paraspinal compartment. Segmental anatomy matters here. The cervical and thoracic multifidus sits directly adjacent to the zygapophysial (facet) joints and the medial branches of the dorsal rami, the targets for diagnostic medial branch blocks and radiofrequency ablation in facet-mediated neck and upper back pain. In posterior cervical approaches for decompression or instrumentation, excessive stripping of the multifidus from the spinous processes and laminae is a common contributor to postoperative axial neck pain and muscle atrophy, so understanding its attachment pattern and depth relative to trapezius and rhomboids guides tissue-sparing exposure and closure. Use this artwork in gross anatomy and kinesiology teaching to contrast superficial scapular stabilizers with intrinsic back muscles, and in spine surgery, pain medicine, and rehabilitation publications to explain paraspinal compartment anatomy, facet joint referral patterns, and postoperative muscle preservation strategies. It also suits patient-facing materials on whiplash-associated disorders where multifidus inhibition and fatty infiltration are discussed. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.