Table 1

Sternal attachments and innervation [8]. Table 1 lists the soft-tissues that attach to the xiphoid and their innervation.

Aspect
Attachment
Innervation

Anterior
The Linea Alba Fibres of Rectus Abdominis
Lower intercostal nerves
Lateral
The aponeurosis of the three flat muscles (external oblique, internal oblique, and transversus abdominis)
Lower intercostal nerves, Obliquus internus and Transversus also receive filaments from the anterior branch of the iliohypogastric and sometimes from the ilioinguinal nerves

Anterior costoxiphoid ligament
Lower intercostal nerves
Posterior
Posterior costoxiphoid ligament
Lower intercostal nerves

Fibres from the diaphragm
Phrenic (C3,4,5), lower intercostal nerves

Fibres from Transverse thoracis
Lower intercostal nerves

Simpson and Hawken Chiropractic & Osteopathy 2007 15:13   doi:10.1186/1746-1340-15-13