Muscles of the Neck Quiz
Questions: 16 · 10 minutes
1. After an accessory nerve injury in the posterior triangle, a patient has difficulty shrugging one shoulder. Which affected muscle best explains this finding?
Levator scapulae
Sternocleidomastoid
Trapezius
Omohyoid
2. The roots and trunks of the brachial plexus normally pass through which muscular interval?
Between the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius
Between the sternohyoid and sternothyroid
Between the mylohyoid and geniohyoid
Between the anterior and middle scalenes
3. Which neural pathway supplies the geniohyoid muscle?
Cervical branch of the facial nerve
C1 fibers traveling with the hypoglossal nerve
Spinal accessory nerve
Phrenic nerve
4. If the hyoid is held steady, which infrahyoid muscle can elevate the larynx by drawing the thyroid cartilage upward?
Sternohyoid
Thyrohyoid
Omohyoid
Sternothyroid
5. A clinician uses the anterior scalene as a landmark. Where does the subclavian vein pass relative to this muscle?
Through its muscle belly
Between it and the middle scalene
Posterior to the posterior scalene
Anterior to it
6. A lesion affecting the cervical branch of the facial nerve would most directly weaken which superficial neck muscle?
Platysma
Sternohyoid
Anterior scalene
Sternocleidomastoid
7. Which paired muscle forms most of the muscular floor of the mouth?
Mylohyoid
Anterior belly of the digastric
Geniohyoid
Hyoglossus
8. When the left and right sternocleidomastoid muscles contract together from a neutral position, what is their principal cervical action?
Flexion of the cervical spine
Rotation of the head to the right
Retraction of the hyoid bone
Extension of the cervical spine with no flexion component
9. The posterior belly of the digastric is weak following a cranial nerve lesion. Which nerve normally supplies this muscle belly?
Mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve
Hypoglossal nerve carrying C1 fibers
Facial nerve
Ansa cervicalis
10. A posterior neck muscle contracts on the right and produces rightward rotation with right lateral flexion of the head. Which muscle best fits this pattern?
Left sternocleidomastoid
Right splenius capitis
Left splenius capitis
Right sternohyoid
11. Which action is most directly associated with the mylohyoid during the first stage of swallowing?
Depressing the larynx by pulling on the thyroid cartilage
Elevating the hyoid and floor of the mouth
Rotating the head to the opposite side
Elevating the second rib during inspiration
12. During a deep inspiration, which neck muscles can assist by elevating the first ribs?
Sternohyoid and omohyoid
Mylohyoid and geniohyoid
Anterior and middle scalenes
Splenius capitis and semispinalis capitis
13. A person turns the face to the left against resistance. Which sternocleidomastoid is contributing most directly to that rotation?
Neither sternocleidomastoid, because they do not rotate the head
Left sternocleidomastoid
Both sternocleidomastoids equally, because they only act bilaterally
Right sternocleidomastoid
14. Which nerve supplies motor innervation to the mylohyoid?
Cervical branch of the facial nerve
Glossopharyngeal nerve
Ansa cervicalis
Nerve to mylohyoid, arising from the inferior alveolar division of V3
15. A rehabilitation exercise emphasizes a controlled chin tuck to recruit a deep anterior cervical flexor. Which muscle is a primary target?
Splenius capitis
Upper trapezius
Longus colli
Obliquus capitis inferior
16. Which suboccipital muscle is distinctive because neither of its attachments is on the skull?
Obliquus capitis inferior
Rectus capitis posterior minor
Obliquus capitis superior
Rectus capitis posterior major