Anatomy of Head and Neck Muscles: A Plain Guide

The anatomy of head and neck muscles is easier to hold in mind as five groups: muscles that move the face, muscles that move the jaw, small muscles that support the throat, muscles on the front and sides of the neck, and muscles along the back of the neck where it meets the skull. I teach the Feldenkrais Method®, and I care less about memorising names and more about feeling how these groups cooperate whenever you look, chew, swallow or frown at a screen. This guide keeps the Latin short and asks what each muscle does in ordinary life.

If you want the shoulder side of the story, our guide to neck and shoulder muscles covers the trapezius and its neighbours. Here the focus stays on the head.

Anatomy of head and neck muscles: a map of five groups

An adult head is heavy, about the weight of a bowling ball, and it rests on a narrow stack of seven neck bones. Around those bones sits a crowd of muscles, from large straps to tiny rods the size of a finger joint. Few of them work alone.

The five groups are not sealed rooms. Your jaw hangs from your skull, your tongue is anchored to a small bone in the throat, and your eyes drive many of your head movements. When one group changes its effort, the others usually adjust. Keep that in mind as we go through them.

Muscles of facial expression

These are thin muscles that attach to skin, not to bone at both ends. That is why they can shape your face.

• Occipitofrontalis. A broad sheet over the scalp. The front part (frontalis) raises your eyebrows and wrinkles your forehead. The back part pulls the scalp backward.
• Orbicularis oculi. A ring around each eye that closes the eyelids. It works when you blink, squint or look into bright light.
• Orbicularis oris. A ring around the mouth that closes and purses the lips. You use it to speak, drink through a straw or whistle.
• Corrugator supercilii and procerus. Small muscles between the brows that draw them together and down. They are the frowning muscles of a long spreadsheet.
• Platysma. A thin sheet that runs from the upper chest and shoulder up over the collarbone and neck to the jaw. It pulls the corners of the mouth down and tightens the skin of the neck.

Facial muscles are easy to forget, yet a held squint or furrowed brow can quietly add to head tension.

Chewing muscles: how the jaw moves

Four pairs of muscles move the lower jaw, which is called the mandible. They are strong for their size.

• Masseter. It runs from the cheekbone to the angle of the jaw. You can feel it bulge when you clench. It closes the jaw with force.
• Temporalis. A fan shaped muscle on the side of the skull, above the ear, that runs down to the jaw. It closes the jaw and pulls it slightly backward.
• Medial pterygoid. A deep muscle on the inner face of the jaw. It helps close the mouth and move the jaw side to side.
• Lateral pterygoid. A deep muscle that helps open the mouth, slide the jaw forward and move it side to side.

These four let you eat an apple, talk and yawn. They also tend to tighten with concentration or worry. Our guide on tension in the neck and jaw explores that link, and the Feldypedia article on jaw tension and TMJ adds more background.

Tongue and throat support: the hyoid group

The hyoid is a small U shaped bone in the front of your throat. It is unusual because it does not join another bone. It floats, held in place by muscles in two sets.

• Suprahyoid muscles sit above it, between the jaw and the hyoid (the digastric, stylohyoid, mylohyoid and geniohyoid). They lift the hyoid when you swallow and help open the jaw.
• Infrahyoid muscles sit below it, running toward the breastbone and shoulder blade (the sternohyoid, sternothyroid, thyrohyoid and omohyoid). They pull the hyoid back down after a swallow.

You use this group every time you swallow, speak or sing. It also links the jaw to the chest, which may be one reason a clenched jaw can leave the throat feeling tight.

The front and sides of the neck

• Sternocleidomastoid. The long rope you see when you turn your head. It runs from the breastbone and collarbone up to the bony bump behind the ear. One side turns your face toward the opposite shoulder. Both sides together bring the head forward and down.
• Scalenes. Three pairs that run from the side of the neck bones to the top two ribs. They tilt the neck sideways, and they help lift the ribs when you breathe in.
• Longus colli and longus capitis. These are the deep neck flexors. They lie right against the front of the spine, and the longus capitis reaches up to the base of the skull. They help you nod and fine tune how your head balances. Our guide to the deep neck flexors looks at them closely.

In daily life this group works when you glance over your shoulder before crossing a road, lift your head from a pillow, or breathe deeply after a long sit.

The back of the neck and base of the skull

• Suboccipitals. Four tiny muscles on each side, tucked beneath the skull (the rectus capitis posterior major and minor, and the obliquus capitis superior and inferior). They nod, tilt and rotate the head at the top two joints, and they are rich in sensing cells that report head position.
• Splenius capitis. A strap starting low in the neck and upper back and rising to the skull just behind the ear. It extends the head and turns it toward the same side.
• Semispinalis capitis. A thick column on either side of the spine at the back of the neck. It runs from the upper back to the skull and mainly tips the head backward.

Textbooks differ a little on how they name the finer fibres here, and the lines between layers are blurry. What matters for daily life is simpler. These muscles keep your gaze level while you read, drive and look around.

How the eyes, jaw and neck work as one

Try this. Let your eyes drift to the far left of the room without moving your head. Notice whether your neck wants to join in. For many people, a small turn begins at the base of the skull. The eyes and the suboccipitals often move together when you look around, and some people notice the jaw joining in too.

This is why a long spell of close screen work can feel like a whole head event. Eyes narrow, brows draw in, the jaw sets and the neck holds the head forward. No single muscle is to blame. They are all doing a reasonable job of something that goes on too long. Neck pain is common: the World Health Organization estimates about 222 million people live with it worldwide (WHO, 2022). Understanding the system can make the experience less mysterious. Our cervical spine anatomy article covers the bones these muscles move.

The Feldenkrais® angle: head, eyes, jaw and neck organise together

In a Feldenkrais lesson, you do not try to strengthen or loosen one named muscle. You move slowly, in small ranges, and sense how the whole head takes part. You might turn only your eyes, then your eyes and head, and notice what your jaw does. You might let the jaw hang a little heavy while you turn, and sense whether the neck needs to work as hard.

For a gentle place to begin, our page on Feldenkrais for neck tension shows how this kind of listening works. Feldy puts this style of learning into short audio lessons that you can follow on your own time, and the 7 day free trial lets you try them.

Alongside clinical care and other methods

Learning about your anatomy sits alongside care from a doctor or physiotherapist. It does not replace it. If you have a diagnosis, headaches that worry you, or symptoms after an injury, your clinician knows your history and guides treatment.

Other movement methods work through a different mechanism. Yoga explores range, and Pilates or strength training build control in chosen muscles. Feldenkrais work offers a quiet way to sense how head and neck share a task. Plenty of people enjoy several approaches.

Common Questions about the anatomy of head and neck muscles (FAQ)

Is it safe to explore my head and neck muscles through movement?

For ordinary tightness, slow and gentle movement is usually welcome. Keep your range small and comfortable, and stop if anything feels sharp, dizzy or tingly. Take extra care after a neck injury, surgery or whiplash, and ask your clinician first. Sudden severe headache, weakness, or trouble speaking needs urgent medical care.

How often should I practise sensing my head and neck?

A few quiet minutes most days is plenty. You can also pause now and then at a screen to notice your jaw, eyes and neck. Because the movements are small and gentle, rest days are not needed.

How long until my neck feels different?

Some people notice an easier turn of the head after one gentle lesson, though it may fade by evening. Lasting change usually comes from a few weeks of regular practice, because habits of holding take time to loosen. If nothing shifts after several weeks, talk with a clinician.

How is this different from massage or stretching?

Massage works on the tissue from the outside, and stretching pulls on a muscle to change its length. A Feldenkrais approach is a different mechanism: slow, small movements that help you sense how your eyes, jaw, head and neck share a task. Many people enjoy these side by side.

When should I see a professional about neck or head symptoms?

Get urgent care for a sudden severe headache or a fever with a stiff neck. See a doctor for numbness or weakness in an arm, trouble swallowing, or symptoms after a fall or accident. Pain that keeps growing or wakes you at night also deserves a check. A physiotherapist can help with ongoing strain.

Which muscles turn the head?

The sternocleidomastoid, on the side of the neck, is the best known. It turns your face to the opposite side. The splenius capitis and the small suboccipitals turn the head toward the same side. Together they let you look over your shoulder smoothly.

Why do my jaw and neck feel connected?

The jaw hangs from the skull, and the muscles around the hyoid bone link it to the neck and chest. Clenching or chewing hard often changes how the neck holds the head, and the reverse is true too. Many people find the two ease together when they notice both.