3
IN-LAB EXERCISES
Use the following modules to guide your exploration of the head and neck region of the muscular system.
As you explore the modules, locate the muscles on any charts, models, or specimen available. Please note
that these muscles act on the head and neck – those that are located in the neck but act on the back are in a
separate section.
When reviewing the action of a muscle, it will be helpful to think about where the muscle is located and where
the insertion is. Muscle physiology requires that a muscle will “pull” instead of “push” during contraction,
and the insertion is the part that will move. Imagine that the muscle is “pulling” on the bone or tissue it is
attached to at the insertion.
Access 3D views and animated muscle actions in Visible Body’s Human Anatomy Atlas, which will be
especially helpful to visualize muscle actions. When you select a structure in the Atlas app, you’ll see options
to read the definition and hear the pronunciation in the content box. When you select a muscle, be sure to
select the blue pin icon in the content box. This will give you the option to view origins and insertions as
visible pins on the muscle (select “attachments”), view the blood supply, and/or the nerve supply.
In each module below, identify the following:
1. Muscle location
2. Origin(s) and insertion(s)
3. Muscle action
4. Nerve supply
