The rectus capitis anterior is one of the prevertebral muscles lying directly on the anterior atlantooccipital membrane, producing head flexion at the craniocervical junction. It works with the longus capitis to maintain the cervical lordosis from the front and is part of the deep cervical flexor group whose activation patterns are disturbed in chronic neck pain and following whiplash.
| Origin | Anterior surface of the lateral mass of the atlas (C1) |
|---|---|
| Insertion | Inferior surface of the basilar portion of the occipital bone |
| Nerve Supply | Ventral rami of C1 and C2 |
| Blood Supply | Ascending pharyngeal artery |
| Actions | Flexion of the head at the atlantooccipital joint; Stabilisation of the atlantooccipital joint |
|---|
Its short lever arm at the atlantooccipital joint makes it a stabiliser rather than a power flexor, participating in the fine anterior head-on-atlas positioning critical for gaze stabilisation during movement.
The deep cervical flexor group including the rectus capitis anterior shows preferential inhibition in chronic neck pain, with reduced activation on the craniocervical flexion test. Retraining the deep cervical flexors through the craniocervical flexion test protocol is a core component of evidence-based neck pain rehabilitation.
The rectus capitis anterior is not accessible to direct palpation due to its deep prevertebral position anterior to the atlas. It is assessed functionally through the craniocervical flexion test.
Selective inhibition of the prevertebral flexors including the rectus capitis anterior following neck injury or in chronic neck pain, managed with specific craniocervical flexion training exercises.
