Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Book

Anatomy, Head and Neck, Sternocleidomastoid Muscle

Bruno Bordoni  1 , Felix Jozsa  2 , Matthew A. Varacallo  3
In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan.
.
Affiliations
Free Books & Documents
Book

Anatomy, Head and Neck, Sternocleidomastoid Muscle

Bruno Bordoni et al.
Free Books & Documents

Excerpt

The sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM) is one of over 20 pairs of muscles acting on the neck. The SCM has dual innervation and multiple functions. It is a superficially palpable muscle with importance as an anatomical landmark within the neck region and as part of neuromuscular pathologies such as torticollis. In addition, evidence from electrophysiological studies shows that the SCM acts in concert with the entire muscular group of the cervicofacial region, responding and aiding in various complex physiological movements beyond its principal function as a lateral neck flexor.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: Bruno Bordoni declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

Disclosure: Felix Jozsa declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

Disclosure: Matthew Varacallo declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

Similar articles

  • Biceps Tendon Dislocation and Instability.
    Varacallo MA, Seaman TJ, Mair SD. Varacallo MA, et al. 2023 Nov 22. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan–. 2023 Nov 22. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan–. PMID: 30475566 Free Books & Documents.
  • Anatomy, Head and Neck, Larynx Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve.
    Allen E, Minutello K, Murcek BW. Allen E, et al. 2023 Jul 24. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan–. 2023 Jul 24. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan–. PMID: 29261997 Free Books & Documents.
  • Far Posterior Approach for Rib Fracture Fixation: Surgical Technique and Tips.
    Manes TJ, DeGenova DT, Taylor BC, Patel JN. Manes TJ, et al. JBJS Essent Surg Tech. 2024 Dec 6;14(4):e23.00094. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.ST.23.00094. eCollection 2024 Oct-Dec. JBJS Essent Surg Tech. 2024. PMID: 39650795 Free PMC article.
  • Depressing time: Waiting, melancholia, and the psychoanalytic practice of care.
    Salisbury L, Baraitser L. Salisbury L, et al. In: Kirtsoglou E, Simpson B, editors. The Time of Anthropology: Studies of Contemporary Chronopolitics. Abingdon: Routledge; 2020. Chapter 5. In: Kirtsoglou E, Simpson B, editors. The Time of Anthropology: Studies of Contemporary Chronopolitics. Abingdon: Routledge; 2020. Chapter 5. PMID: 36137063 Free Books & Documents. Review.
  • Hemophilia B.
    Konkle BA, Nakaya Fletcher S. Konkle BA, et al. 2000 Oct 2 [updated 2024 Jun 6]. In: Adam MP, Feldman J, Mirzaa GM, Pagon RA, Wallace SE, Amemiya A, editors. GeneReviews® [Internet]. Seattle (WA): University of Washington, Seattle; 1993–2025. 2000 Oct 2 [updated 2024 Jun 6]. In: Adam MP, Feldman J, Mirzaa GM, Pagon RA, Wallace SE, Amemiya A, editors. GeneReviews® [Internet]. Seattle (WA): University of Washington, Seattle; 1993–2025. PMID: 20301668 Free Books & Documents. Review.
See all similar articles

References

    1. Kohan EJ, Wirth GA. Anatomy of the neck. Clin Plast Surg. 2014 Jan;41(1):1-6. - PubMed
    1. Kennedy E, Albert M, Nicholson H. The fascicular anatomy and peak force capabilities of the sternocleidomastoid muscle. Surg Radiol Anat. 2017 Jun;39(6):629-645. - PubMed
    1. Forbes PA, Fice JB, Siegmund GP, Blouin JS. Electrical Vestibular Stimuli Evoke Robust Muscle Activity in Deep and Superficial Neck Muscles in Humans. Front Neurol. 2018;9:535. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Luciani BD, Desmet DM, Alkayyali AA, Leonardis JM, Lipps DB. Identifying the mechanical and neural properties of the sternocleidomastoid muscles. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2018 May 01;124(5):1297-1303. - PubMed
    1. Guo SX, Li BY, Zhang Y, Zhou LJ, Liu L, Widmalm SE, Wang MQ. An electromyographic study on the sequential recruitment of bilateral sternocleidomastoid and masseter muscle activity during gum chewing. J Oral Rehabil. 2017 Aug;44(8):594-601. - PubMed

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources