# What is the trapezius?

It is called the trapezius. Gray's Anatomy (1918) describes it as a large, kite-shaped superficial muscle of the upper back and neck.

## What it means

- A large, kite-shaped superficial muscle of the upper back and neck.
- Named for the four-sided figure formed by the pair of muscles together.
- Elevates, retracts, and rotates the scapula.

## Action steps

1. Across the top of the shoulders and down the middle of the upper back.
2. Arises from the skull, ligamentum nuchae, and thoracic vertebrae.
3. Inserts into the clavicle, acromion, and spine of the scapula.

## Sources

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

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