Neck anatomy. Artwork of the anatomy of the front neck muscles (red). The three muscles attached to the ribs (lower left, yellow) are the anterior, medius and posterior scalene muscles. These raise the ribs during respiration and also bend and rotate the neck. The short muscle at top left is the rectus capitis lateralis, which stabilises and flexes the neck. At top centre right is the rectus capitis anterior, which also flexes the neck. At top centre is the longus capitis, which bilaterally flexes and unilaterally rotates the neck. To the right of the longus capitis is the longus colli which also rotates and flexes the neck.