# What is the neck muscle called?

The long neck muscle is called the sternocleidomastoid. Gray's Anatomy (1918) describes it as a long, strap-like muscle on each side of the neck.

## What it means

- A long, strap-like muscle on each side of the neck.
- Named for its three attachments: sternum, clavicle, and mastoid process.
- Turns the head to the opposite side and bends it toward the same side.

## Action steps

1. Runs diagonally from behind the ear to the top of the sternum.
2. Stands out on the front of the neck when the head is turned.
3. Divides the neck into anterior and posterior triangles.

## Sources

- [Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body (1918)](https://www.bartleby.com/107/)

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