Learning objectives
After going through this study unit, you will be able to:
Ever tried doing a plank exercise for longer than 10 seconds? Then you surely must’ve felt your abdominal muscles. The abdominal muscles are divided into the anterolateral and posterior groups, thus comprising the anterolateral and posterior abdominal walls.
These muscles not only compose the walls of the abdomen, but they also support the abdominal viscera and participate in the formation of important anatomical passageways that allow structures from the abdomen and pelvis to reach the perineum and lower limb (e.g. superficial inguinal ring).
This video tutorial will help you learn the anatomy of these muscles.
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Examine each muscle with our atlas gallery:
Anterolateral abdominal muscles | Transversus abdominis, internal abdominal oblique (cremaster muscle), rectus abdominis, external abdominal oblique, pyramidalis Innervation: Lower intercostal nerves (T7-T11), subcostal nerve (T12), iliohypogastric nerve (L1), ilioinguinal nerve (L1), genital branch of genitofemoral nerve (L1-L2) (cremaster muscle) |
Posterior abdominal muscle | Quadratus lumborum, Iliopsoas, psoas minor Innervation: Subcostal nerve (T12), anterior rami of spinal nerves L1-L4 |
Important structures related to these muscles | Rectus sheath, linea alba, inguinal ligament, inguinal canal, deep inguinal ring, superficial inguinal ring, inguinal falx (conjoint tendon) |
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