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The Rotatores group is a member of the Transversospinalis (Paraspinal*) group, composed of:
*The term paraspinal usually denotes the muscles of the erector spinae group as well as the muscles of the transversospinalis group.
The Rotatores are located in the lumbar, thoracic, and cervical regions.
Further, there are shorter Rotatores Brevi and longer Rotatores Longi.
ATTACHMENTS:
- Transverse processes below to spinous processes above.
- From sacrum to the axis (C2).
- They attach 1-2 vertebral levels above the inferior attachment.
ACTIONS:
- Contralaterally rotate the neck and trunk at the spinal joints.
- Extend the neck and trunk at the spinal joints.
- Laterally flex the neck and trunk at the spinal joints.
NOTES:
- Transversospinalis musculature generally runs from transverse processes inferiorly (transverso) to spinous processes superiorly (spinalis).
- Rotatores musculature attaches from the transverse process of a vertebra below to the spinous process of a vertebra 1-2 levels above (1 level: brevis; 2 levels: longus).
- Actually the superior attachments are onto laminae (not spinous processes).
- The rotatores are the most horizontally-oriented muscles of the transversospinalis group. Therefore, it makes sense that they would primarily act to rotate the spine in the horizontal (transverse) plane: hence the name rotatores.
