The base-of-skull muscles
Suboccipital muscles
Four small muscles at the base of your skull that fine-tune head position.
What it does
These four small muscles connect the atlas, the axis and the base of the skull. They tilt and turn the head in small, precise movements and are packed with position sensors that help keep your eyes level as you move.
Surprising fact
They contain one of the highest densities of position-sensing receptors of any muscle in the body, feeding constant updates about head position to the brain.
Why it matters
Tension in these muscles is a common source of headaches that start at the back of the head and spread forward.
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.