paraspinal muscle
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paraspinal muscles anatomy function
Paraspinal muscles are the muscles that lie beside the vertebral column. They support, move, and stabilize the spine.
Main groups include:
- Erector spinae: iliocostalis, longissimus, and spinalis. These are large superficial-to-intermediate back extensors that help keep the trunk upright and produce spinal extension and side-bending.
- Transversospinalis group: especially multifidus, plus semispinalis and rotatores. These deeper muscles connect adjacent or nearby vertebrae and are important for segment-by-segment spinal stability and rotation control.
- In the neck and upper back, adjacent muscles such as splenius and deep cervical extensors may also be considered part of the paraspinal musculature.
The multifidus is particularly important in the lumbar spine. It is deep and medial, close to the spinous processes, while the longissimus and iliocostalis are more lateral. Together, paraspinal muscles transmit much of the load placed on the spine and help control posture and movement. A review of paraspinal anatomy and low-back disorders describes their stabilizing and movement roles.
Clinically, reduced size, fatty infiltration, weakness, or poor activation of these muscles can be associated with chronic low-back pain and degenerative spinal disorders. Recent systematic reviews have also examined relationships between paraspinal muscle morphology and lumbar spinal stenosis (PMID: 39922502) and spinal alignment (PMID: 40797242).
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