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Inferior rectus muscle (anatomy)

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The inferior rectus muscle is one of the four rectus extra-ocular muscles of the orbit. It originates at a common tendinous ring surrounding the optic canal at the junction of the superior and inferior orbital fissures. It passes anteriorly and laterally.

Inferior rectus inserts into the inferior surface of sclera at its junction with the cornea. This is anterior to the equator of the eye in the coronal plane. Sagittally, it is roughly in the median plane.

The action of inferior rectus is to:

  • depress the eye
  • extort the eye when it is adducted

The innervation of inferior rectus is from the inferior branch of the oculomotor nerve.


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