The back-of-scalp muscle
Occipitalis · venter occipitalis musculi occipitofrontalis
A thin muscle at the back of your head that pulls the scalp backwards.
What it does
The occipitalis lies on the back of the skull above the neck. It works with the frontalis across a sheet of tendon over the top of the head, pulling the scalp backwards. Together they let some people wiggle their scalp.
Surprising fact
The frontalis and occipitalis are joined by the same tendon sheet across the top of your skull, so together they work as one muscle with two bellies.
Why it matters
Tension in the back of the scalp can contribute to tension headaches that wrap around the head like a band.
Nearby
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Sources
Drafted with AI help; awaiting a human fact-check against these sources.
Open in the 3D atlas · Suggest a correction · Not medical advice.
3D models: Z-Anatomy & BodyParts3D (CC BY-SA 4.0 / 2.1 JP). Card text CC BY 4.0.