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Chest Muscles
The muscles of the chest wall — the pectoral muscles at the front, serratus anterior at the side, and the intercostal layers between the ribs that drive quiet breathing.
This page lists all 8 of them in the reference. Open any muscle for its origin, insertion, actions, nerve supply and clinical pearl.
| Muscle | Main actions | Nerve supply |
|---|---|---|
| External Intercostal Muscles | Elevate the ribs, expanding the chest in quiet breathing in | Intercostal nerves |
| Internal Intercostal Muscles | Depress the ribs during forced breathing out | Intercostal nerves |
| Pectoralis Major | Adducts the arm; Rotates the arm inward | Lateral and medial pectoral nerves (C5–T1) |
| Pectoralis Minor | Pulls the shoulder blade forward and down; Lifts the ribs in forced breathing in | Medial pectoral nerve (C8–T1) |
| Serratus Anterior | Holds the shoulder blade flat against the chest wall; Pulls the scapula forward (protraction, as in punching) | Long thoracic nerve (C5–C7) |
| Subclavius | Anchors and depresses the clavicle; Cushions the subclavian vessels if the clavicle breaks | Nerve to subclavius (C5–C6) |
| Subcostales | Depress the lower ribs slightly in breathing out | Intercostal nerves |
| Transversus Thoracis | Depresses the costal cartilages slightly in breathing out | Intercostal nerves |
Please note: This page is an anatomy education summary for students and curious readers, not medical advice. Attachment points are given in their classic short form; individual anatomy varies, and detailed dissection-level descriptions belong in an anatomy atlas.