MuscleBack — deep (transversospinalis)
Multifidus
Latin: Mm. multifidi
Location: Back
View the multifidus in 3DOrigin
Sacrum, iliac crest, and transverse processes of L1–S1, spanning 2–4 vertebrae.
Insertion
Spinous processes of vertebrae above.
Action
Segment-by-segment spinal stabilisation — the fine control that stops intersegmental shear; atrophies first after disc injury.
Nerve supply
Dorsal rami of each spinal level.
Blood supply
Segmental lumbar arteries.
Clinical relevance
Multifidus atrophy on MRI flags chronic low-back instability; retraining it is the core of evidence-based spinal rehabilitation.
Educational anatomy reference, not medical advice. About this content.