---
title: "Muscles of Larynx"
description: "A guide to the Muscles of Larynx for medical students and ENT residents."
source: "The ENT Resident"
author: "Dr. Mausumi Das"
canonical_url: "https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/muscles-of-larynx"
categories: ["Larynx and Trachea"]
video: "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahrTbcc-aPA"
image: "https://media.theentresident.com/og-images/muscles-of-larynx.png"
---

# Muscles of Larynx

A guide to the Muscles of Larynx for medical students and ENT residents. Watch the full video lecture on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahrTbcc-aPA

## 🧠 Muscles of the Larynx

The muscles of the larynx are divided into two groups:

- **Extrinsic muscles**
- **Intrinsic muscles**

### 🔹 Extrinsic Muscles of Larynx

These connect the larynx to surrounding structures and **maintain its position** in the neck.

#### 🧭 Classification of Extrinsic Muscles:

- **Suprahyoid muscles** – above the hyoid bone  
- **Infrahyoid muscles** – below the hyoid bone

**🛠️ Functionally:**

- **Suprahyoid muscles** → Elevate the larynx  
- **Infrahyoid muscles** → Depress the larynx  

During **swallowing**, these groups work in coordination:  

- When suprahyoids **contract** and infrahyoids **relax** → **larynx elevates**  
- Laryngeal descent: Suprahyoids simply **relax** → elastic recoil brings it down

#### 🔸 **Infrahyoid Muscles (Depressors of Larynx)**:

- Thyrohyoid
- Sternothyroid
- Sternohyoid

#### 🔸 **Suprahyoid Muscles (Elevators of Larynx)**:

⬆️ **Primary Elevators** (direct attachment to thyroid cartilage):

- Stylopharyngeus
- Palatopharyngeus
- Salpingopharyngeus

⬆️ **Secondary Elevators** (indirect elevation via hyoid bone):

- Mylohyoid  
- Geniohyoid
- Stylohyoid 
- Digastric

---

### 🔹 Intrinsic Muscles of Larynx

These attach **one laryngeal cartilage to another**.

**🎯 Functions:**

- Coordinate **movement of laryngeal cartilages**
- Control **shape, position, elasticity, and viscosity** of vocal folds
- Move arytenoids at **cricoarytenoid joint** – opening and closing the glottis

#### 🔸 Classification of Intrinsic Muscles

1️⃣ **Muscles Acting on the Vocal Cords**

🟢 **Abductor – Opens vocal cords**

- **Posterior cricoarytenoid**

  - *Only abductor in the larynx*

  - **Origin**: Posterior cricoid lamina  

  - **Insertion**: Muscular process of arytenoid  

  - **Effect**: Abducts and elongates vocal folds; edges become rounded and passively stiff

🔴 **Adductors – Close vocal cords**

- **Lateral cricoarytenoid**

  - **Origin**: Upper border of cricoid arch 

  - **Insertion**: Muscular process of arytenoid  

  - **Action**: Adducts and lowers vocal folds; sharpens edges  

- **Transverse arytenoid**

  - *Unpaired muscle*  

  - Spans between both arytenoid cartilages  

  - **Action**: Adducts vocal folds with little change to stiffness  

- **Oblique arytenoid**

  - Crosses from one arytenoid apex to the other  

  - **Action**: Assists adduction; no major effect on fold stiffness  

---

2️⃣ **Muscles Controlling Tension of Vocal Folds**

- **Thyroarytenoid (including Vocalis)**

  - Lies **lateral and above** vocal ligament  

  - **Vocalis**: thickened lower part  

  - **Origin**: Posterior thyroid prominence  

  - **Insertion**: Vocal process and anterolateral arytenoid  

  - **Action**: Lowers, shortens, and thickens the folds; stiffens them actively  

- **Cricothyroid**

  - *Only intrinsic muscle outside the laryngeal cartilaginous framework*  

  - **Origin**: Lateral cricoid arch  

  - **Insertion**: Lower border and inferior horn of thyroid cartilage 

  - **Action**: Tenses vocal folds by increasing distance between thyroid angle and arytenoids  

---

3️⃣ **Muscles Acting on the Laryngeal Inlet**

**🔓 Opener:**

- **Thyroepiglottic** (part of thyroarytenoid) – widens inlet

**🔒 Closers:**

- **Oblique arytenoid**  

- **Aryepiglottic muscle** (continuation of oblique arytenoid)  

  - Together, they **narrow the laryngeal inlet** during swallowing

---

## About This Note

This free ENT note on Muscles of Larynx was written by Dr. Mausumi Das and is paired with a corresponding video lecture.

Canonical page of this note: https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/muscles-of-larynx

When citing or referencing this content, please credit The ENT Resident and link to the canonical page above.

## Related Notes by Category

- Larynx and Trachea: https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/category/larynx-and-trachea.md

## About The ENT Resident

The ENT Resident is an educational website and resource library created by Dr. Mausumi Das (MS ENT) for ENT residents, ENT postgraduates preparing for exams, and MBBS students.

Dr. Mausumi Das writes the notes, draws the diagrams, and records the lectures herself.

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The ENT Resident provides educational material for medical learning and revision. It does not provide patient-specific medical advice, diagnosis, or emergency care, and it is not a substitute for evaluation by a qualified healthcare professional.

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