Hyoid bone

The infrahyoid muscles, or strap muscles, are a group of four pairs of muscles in the anterior (frontal) part of the neck. The four infrahyoid muscles are the sternohyoid, sternothyroid, thyrohyoid and omohyoid muscles Excluding the sternothyroid, the infrahyoid muscles either originate from or insert on to the hyoid bone. The term infrahyoid refers to the region below the hyoid bone, while the term strap muscles refers to the long and flat muscle shapes which resembles a strap. The stylopharyngeus muscle is considered by many to be one of the strap muscles,[citation needed] but is not an infrahyoid muscle. The infrahyoid muscles are a group of four paired muscles that lie inferiorly to the hyoid bone in the anterior aspect of neck. This group of muscles is also known as strap muscles. They connect hyoid, sternum, clavicle and scapula. Infrahyoid muscles are organised in two layers. Superficial layer consist of sternohyoid and omohyoid whereas deep layer contain sternothyroid and thyrohyoid. The muscles are involved in movements of the hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage during vocalization, swallowing and mastication.It play an active role in swallowing through the movement of the larynx. They are mainly innervated from the ansa cervicalis. The suprahyoid muscles are a group of four muscles located superior to the hyoid bone of the neck. They all act to elevate the hyoid bone – an action involved in swallowing. The arterial supply to these muscles is via branches of the facial artery, occipital artery, and lingual artery. In this article, we shall look at the anatomy of the suprahyoid muscles – their attachments, actions, and innervation.