The longus capitis is the deepest flexor of the upper cervical spine and head, connecting the mid-cervical transverse processes to the base of the skull and working with the rectus capitis anterior to balance the head-extending force of the posterior cervical muscles. It is part of the deep cervical flexor group that shows the most consistent inhibition in chronic neck pain and following whiplash, and its rehabilitation is specifically targeted in evidence-based neck pain programmes.
| Origin | Anterior tubercles of the transverse processes of C3 through C6 |
|---|---|
| Insertion | Inferior surface of the basilar part of the occipital bone |
| Nerve Supply | Ventral rami of C1 through C3 |
| Blood Supply | Ascending cervical artery |
| Actions | Flexion of the head and upper cervical spine; Stabilisation of the craniovertebral junction |
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Providing the primary anterior stabilising force at the craniocervical junction, it prevents excessive head extension and fine-tunes head positioning for gaze stabilisation during dynamic activities.
Longus capitis inhibition is measurable with the craniocervical flexion test using a pressure biofeedback unit and is a hallmark of cervicogenic headache and whiplash-associated disorder. Its deep position prevents direct manual therapy but it responds to specific motor control exercises targeting the craniocervical flexion movement.
Not accessible to external palpation due to its deep prevertebral position. Assessed via craniocervical flexion test protocols.
Longus capitis and rectus capitis anterior inhibition in chronic neck pain producing impaired craniocervical flexion test performance and head control, managed with specific deep cervical flexor retraining.
