Which muscle is located in the upper back?

• A. Trapezius
• B. Latissimus dorsi
• C. Gluteus maximus
• D. Hamstring

Answer: (A)

Identifying which muscle sits in the upper back. The trapezius runs across the upper back and neck, from the base of the skull and spine out to the shoulder blades. It’s the muscle most associated with movements of the shoulder girdle, such as shrugging the shoulders, pulling the shoulders back, and aiding the rotation of the shoulder blades when raising the arms. That upper-back position is what distinguishes it from the other options.

The latissimus dorsi sits lower on the back and toward the sides, attaching to the humerus; it’s the broad muscle of the middle to lower back used for pulling the arms downward and backward. The gluteus maximus is the buttock muscle, and the hamstrings lie along the back of the thigh. So, for an upper-back location, the trapezius is the right fit.