Intercostal Muscles

The intercostal muscles help move and make up the wall of the chest and are located between the ribs. These muscle groups include the external intercostal muscles and the internal intercostal muscles. The external intercostal muscles help increase thoracic size from front to back and side to side with contraction of the external intercostal muscles. These muscles help in inhalation-both forced and quiet. They lift the ribs as well as expand the thoracic cavity's transverse dimensions. The...

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Anatomy Terms

Abdominal Head of Pectoralis Major Muscle
Clavicular Head of Pectoralis Major Muscle
Diaphragm
Infraspinatus Muscle
Intercostal Muscles
Latissimus Dorsi Muscle
Levator Scapulae Muscle
Pectoralis Major Muscle
Pectoralis Minor Muscle
Pelvis
Serratus Anterior Muscle
Sternocostal Head of Pectoralis Major Muscle
Subscapularis Muscle
Supraspinatus Muscle
Teres Major Muscle
Teres Minor Muscle
Trapezius Muscle

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Full Intercostal Muscles Description

[Continued from above] . . . internal intercostal muscles help with expiration-the forced process. These muscles depress the ribs, making the thoracic cavity' transverse dimensions decrease.