Levator

From WikiMD's Food, Medicine & Wellness Encyclopedia

Levator is a term used in anatomy that refers to a muscle that has the function of elevating a certain body part. The term is derived from the Latin word "levare", which means "to lift". There are several muscles in the human body that are referred to as levators, including the Levator ani, Levator scapulae, and Levator palpebrae superioris.

Levator Ani[edit | edit source]

The Levator ani is a broad, thin muscle located on the side of the pelvis. It is formed from three muscle components: the puborectalis, the pubococcygeus muscle and the iliococcygeus muscle. The Levator ani is part of the pelvic diaphragm, which supports the organs in the pelvis.

Levator Scapulae[edit | edit source]

The Levator scapulae is a skeletal muscle situated at the back and side of the neck. As the name suggests, its main function is to lift the scapula, which is the bone that connects the humerus (arm bone) with the clavicle (collar bone).

Levator Palpebrae Superioris[edit | edit source]

The Levator palpebrae superioris is the muscle in the orbit that elevates the superior (upper) eyelid. It is one of the muscles that control the movement of the eyelids, and dysfunction of this muscle can lead to conditions such as ptosis, which is drooping of the eyelid.

See Also[edit | edit source]

Levator Resources
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Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD