Anatomy
rectus abdominis
rec·tus [ rek-tuhs ]
Subclass of:
Abdominal Muscles
Definitions related to rectus abdominis:
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A long flat muscle that extends along the whole length of both sides of the abdomen. It flexes the vertebral column, particularly the lumbar portion; it also tenses the anterior abdominal wall and assists in compressing the abdominal contents. It is frequently the site of hematomas. In RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGICAL PROCEDURES it is often used for the creation of MYOCUTANEOUS FLAP. (From Gray's Anatomy, 30th American ed, p491)NLM Medical Subject HeadingsU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
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(rectus abdominis muscle) Two vertically parallel muscles located on the anterior abdominal wall, which originate on the pubic crest and insert on the coastal cartilages of ribs five through seven and the xyphoid process; both muscles function to flex the lumbar spine.NCI ThesaurusU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
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