It is commonly referred of having two parts; the adductor portion and the hamstring portion. The muscles of the leg that move the foot and toes are divided into anterior, lateral, superficial- and deep-posterior compartments. The rectus femoris is on the anterior aspect of the thigh, the vastus lateralis is on the lateral aspect of the thigh, the vastus medialis is on the medial aspect of the thigh, and the vastus intermedius is between the vastus lateralis and vastus medialis and deep to the rectus femoris. If the center of gravity were not to remain fixed, standing up would be difficult as well. The plantaris tendon is a desirable substitute for the fascia lata in hernia repair, tendon transplants, and repair of ligaments. The insertion point of this muscle is at the lesser trochanter and produces flexion at the hip. Pectineus. It is innervated by the obturator nerve (L2-L4). The pelvic girdle is less range of motion because it was designed to stabilize and support the body. There are four deep muscles in the posterior compartment of the leg as well: the popliteus, flexor digitorum longus, flexor hallucis longus, and tibialis posterior. A. Vastus Medialis is located along the medial portion of the anterior compartment. Tibialis Anterior originates along the lateral shaft of the tibia and inserts onto the base of the first metatarsal bone and medial cuneiform. Pectineus originates at the pectineal line along superior ramus of pubis, inserting on the posterior surface of the femur and inferiorly on the lesser trochanter. The anterior compartment comprises the quadriceps femoris, quadriceps tendon, patellar ligament, and the sartorius. Inferior ramus of pubis to ischial tuberosity: Gluteal tuberosity to adductor tubercle of femur via linea aspera (femur) Gracilis: Body and inferior ramus of pubis: Superior aspect of medial tibia: Gluteus maximus: Posterior ilium, sacrum and coccyx: Iliotibial (IT) band to … Vastus Lateralis is a large (vast = large) lateral muscle. Ischial tuberosity and pubis Linea aspera of femur 11. How do they function together? by PHED 301 Students is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted. The most superficial and visible muscle of the calf is the gastrocnemius. Adductor Magnus. The three long muscles on the back of the knee are the hamstring group, which flexes the knee. Insertion: Adductor head: Gluteal tuberosity, linea aspera, and proximal supracondylar line. Vastus Intermedius is deep to rectus femoris. The biceps femoris, semimembranosus, and semitendinosus form the hamstrings. A – aDducts, assists medial/lateral rotation of the femur… Posterior surface of tibia Distal phalanges of four lateral toes flexor digitorum longus 9. Some of the largest and most powerful muscles in the body are the gluteal muscles or gluteal group. Q. Thank you for becoming a member. The quadriceps femoris is made of four muscles: the rectus femoris, the vastus lateralis, the vastus medius, and the vastus intermedius, which together extend the knee. The muscles in the medial compartment of the thigh are responsible for adducting the femur at the hip. Have questions or comments? For one thing, walking would expend more energy if the heads of the femurs were not secured in the acetabula of the pelvis. Its main action causes knee extension. Plantaris originates on the lateral condyle of the femur just superior and medial to the lateral head of gastrocnemius. Actions: Adductor head: Adducts, flexes and medially rotates hip. The pectineus adducts and flexes the femur at the hip as well. This muscle originates on the anterior inferior iliac spine and inserts onto the tibial tuberosity via the patellar ligament/quadriceps tendon. The large muscle group that attaches the leg to the pelvic girdle and produces extension of the hip joint is the ________ group. The insertion point is at the intertrochanteric crest of the femur and produces lateral rotation at the hip. The lateral compartment of the leg includes two muscles: the fibularis longus (peroneus longus) and the fibularis brevis (peroneus brevis). By the end of this section, you will be able to: The appendicular muscles of the lower body position and stabilize the pelvic girdle, which serves as a foundation for the lower limbs. Origin: pectineal line of superior ramus of pubis Insertion: posterior femur, distal lesser trochanter to the linea aspera Action: adducts, flexes and laterally rotates at hip joint. To challenge yourself or learn with some quizzes on the muscles visit: https://www.getbodysmart.com/anterior-thigh-muscles. On the medial part of the thigh, the adductor longus, adductor brevis, and adductor magnus adduct the thigh and medially rotate it. The medial compartment includes the adductors, pectineus, and the gracilis. The word ischial tuberosity has two parts – ischial comes from ischium, a pelvic bone and tuberosity is from a Latin word ‘tuber’ which means lump. The long head originates on the ischial tuberosity and inserts on the head of the fibula. Gluteus Maximus is the largest muscle of the gluteal group. Q. The pectineus is located in the femoral triangle, which is formed at the junction between the hip and the leg and also includes the femoral nerve, the femoral artery, the femoral vein, and the deep inguinal lymph nodes. Tensor fasciae latae (TFL) is a muscle that runs along continuous with the iliotibial tract which is the insertion point while it originates along the iliac crest of the anterior superior iliac spine. Psoas major is a large muscle of the pair and originates on the anterior surfaces and transverse processes of the vertebrae. Action- adduction at hip; superior part produces flexion and medial rotation; inferior part produces extension and lateral rotation. Along with the adductor longus, adductor brevis, adductor magnus, and pectineus, the strap-like gracilis adducts the thigh in addition to flexing the leg at the knee. Piriformis is the other dominant muscle of the lateral rotator groups alongside the obturators. The nerve innervation is the deep fibular nerve (L4-S1). Q. Gemellus superior and inferior is a pair of lateral rotators that both originate along the ischial spine and insert onto the medial surface of the greater trochanter of the femur. The muscles of the anterior compartment of the thigh flex the thigh and extend the leg. The adductor portion originates from the inferior pubis ramus inserting onto the linea aspera of the femur. It is innervated by the femoral nerve (L2-L4). Articularis Genus is superior to the patella and superficial to the quadriceps tendon. Extensor Digitorum Longus originates on the head of the fibular and inserts on the base of proximal phalanges 2-4. The gluteus maximus is the largest; deep to the gluteus maximus is the gluteus medius, and deep to the gluteus medius is the gluteus minimus, the smallest of the trio (Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\) and Table \(\PageIndex{1}\)). It acts as a synergist of the gluteus medius and iliopsoas in flexing and abducting the thigh. OpenStax Anatomy & Physiology (CC BY 4.0). The fibularis tertius, a small muscle that originates on the anterior surface of the fibula, is associated with the extensor digitorum longus and sometimes fused to it, but is not present in all people. ischial rami, the pubic rami, and the ischial tuberosity: linea aspera; adductor tubercle of femur: opens the thigh; with raising the knee and turning the thigh (and lower leg) inward: adduction; flexion; medial rotation: pectineus: pectineal line of the pubis: lesser trochanter to linea aspera of posterior aspect of femur Deep to the gluteus maximus, the piriformis, obturator internus, obturator externus, superior gemellus, inferior gemellus, and quadratus femoris laterally rotate the femur at the hip. It causes flexion of the hallux and is innervated by the tibial nerve (L5-S2). Pectineal line & medial lip of linea aspera. Semitendinosus. The pelvic girdle attaches the legs to the axial skeleton. Nerve innervations are by the obturator nerve (L2-L4). Femur Cont. Table \(\PageIndex{2}\): Thigh Muscles That Move the Femur, Tibia, and Fibula, Thigh: flexion; abduction; lateral rotation. ischial tuberosity to medial tibia: flexes lower leg at knee (Hamstrings) Semimembranosus: ischial tuberosity to medial condyle of tibia: flexes lower leg at knee: Pectineus: Superior ramus of pubis to pectineal line of femur (midway between lesser trochanter and linea aspera) flexes and adducts thigh: Tibialis Anterior Popliteus plays a role in both flexion and internal rotation of the knee. Long head -Ischial tuberosity. Thick bands of connective tissue called the superior extensor retinaculum (transverse ligament of the ankle) and the inferior extensor retinaculum, hold the tendons of these muscles in place during dorsiflexion. Lateral condyle and proximal tibia Medial cuneiform and first metatarsal tibialis anterior 10. Biceps Femoris-(long) ischial tuberosity and (short) linea aspera - head of fibula Adductor Magnus - inferior ramus of pubis - linea aspera Popliteus - lateral ep. The rectus femoris, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, and vastus intermedius form the quadriceps. The action produced is plantar flexion of the ankle, inversion of the foot and flexion of the knee. Together, the heads form a tendon, which inserts into the head of the fibula. In addition, its medial margin forms the lateral border of the femoral triangle. Semitendinosus is a largely tendinous muscle. Tibialis Posterior originates on the proximal 2/3 of tibia and fibula and inserts onto the medial cuneiform and navicular. The quadriceps muscles extend the leg at the knee joint. From the pectineal line of the pubis, it extends laterally underneath the inguinal ligament to insert onto the pectineal line and linea aspera of the femur. Q. Origin: Magnus- ischial and pubic rami and ischial tuberosity; longus- pubis near pubic symphysis; brevis- body and inferior ramus of pubis Insertion: Magnus- linea aspera and adductor tubercle of femur; longus and brevis- linea aspera Action: Adduct and medially rotate and flex thigh; posterior part of magnus is also a synergist in thigh extension It is comprised of medial and lateral lips which diverge at both its superior and inferior ends. The linea aspera is a longitudinally-oriented ridge on the posterior aspect of the femur to which several muscles of the thigh attach. How do they function together? Term. It originates is on the anterior superior iliac spine on the lateral portion of the hip and crosses to insert medially on the tibia. The plantaris runs obliquely between the two; some people may have two of these muscles, whereas no plantaris is observed in about seven percent of other cadaver dissections. Rectus Femoris, named for its muscle fascicle orientation (rectus = straight) is the most superficial muscle on the anterior compartment. Q. Pectineal line: Femur Small ridge on posterior surface; attachment point for Pectineus, Adductor Brevis muscle. 10.7: Appendicular Muscles of the Pelvic Girdle and Lower Limbs, [ "article:topic", "pelvic girdle", "patellar ligament", "vastus medialis", "vastus lateralis", "tibialis posterior", "tibialis anterior", "tensor fascia lata", "superior gemellus", "superior extensor retinaculum", "soleus", "semitendinosus", "semimembranosus", "sartorius", "rectus femoris", "quadriceps tendon", "quadriceps femoris group", "quadratus femoris", "psoas major", "posterior compartment of the thigh", "posterior compartment of the leg", "popliteus", "popliteal fossa", "plantaris", "plantar group", "plantar aponeurosis", "piriformis", "pectineus", "obturator internus", "obturator externus", "medial compartment of the thigh", "lateral compartment of the leg", "inferior gemellus", "inferior extensor retinaculum", "iliotibial tract", "iliopsoas group", "iliacus", "hamstring group", "gracilis", "gluteus minimus", "gluteus medius", "gluteus maximus", "gluteal group", "gastrocnemius", "flexor hallucis longus", "flexor digitorum longus", "fibularis tertius", "fibularis longus", "fibularis brevis", "femoral triangle", "extensor hallucis longus", "extensor digitorum longus", "extensor digitorum brevis", "dorsal group", "calcaneal tendon", "biceps femoris", "anterior compartment of the thigh", "anterior compartment of the leg", "adductor magnus", "adductor longus", "adductor brevis", "license:ccby", "showtoc:no", "source[1]-med-697", "source[2]-med-697", "program:oeri", "authorname:humananatomyoeri" ], https://med.libretexts.org/@app/auth/3/login?returnto=https%3A%2F%2Fmed.libretexts.org%2FBookshelves%2FAnatomy_and_Physiology%2FHuman_Anatomy_(OERI)%2F10%253A_Muscular_System%2F10.07%253A_Appendicular_Muscles_of_the_Pelvic_Girdle_and_Lower_Limbs, Reedley College, Butte College, Pasadena City College, & Mt. Origin: Adductor head: Inferior ramus of pubis and ischial ramus. Adopted a LibreTexts for your class? Actions of both portions include hip adduction, flexion, and extension. The long head is innervated by the tibial part of the sciatic nerve, whereas the short head is innervated by the common fibular portion of the sciatic nerve (L5-S2). Adductor magnus Origin : inferior ramus of pubis and ischial tuberosity Insertion : linea aspera of femur Action : adducts thigh at hip joint and laterally rotates thigh, anterior part flexes thigh at hip joint & posterior part extends thigh at hip joint Nerve : obturator & sciatic nerve The main action causes knee extension. Short head- lateral lip of linea aspera. Adductor longus originates from the pubis and expands into a fan shape, inserting onto the linea aspera of the femur. Origin: Oblique Head: Inferior ramus of pubis and ischial ramus Vertical Head: Ischial Tuberosity Insertion: Oblique Head: Gluteal Tuberosity, linea aspera and proximal supracondylar line of femur Adductor Brevis originates on the inferior pubic ramus and inserts onto the linea aspera. Deep fascia in the thigh separates it into medial, anterior, and posterior compartments (Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\) and Table \(\PageIndex{2}\)). Biceps femoris muscle has two (Bi-) heads, the long head, and the short head. The psoas major and iliacus make up the iliopsoas group. Table \(\PageIndex{4}\): Intrinsic Muscles in the Foot. Its innervated by the inferior gluteal nerve (L5-S2). Which muscle produces movement that allows you to cross your legs? Actions include hip adduction and medial rotation of the thigh. This feature is the insertion site of the adductor thigh muscle. The thigh can be organized into five groups by the actions/location: the adductors, the lateral rotators, the gluteal group, the quadriceps, the hamstrings, and the iliopsoas. Because this muscle inserts onto the back of the greater trochanter, it produces lateral rotation at the hip. The principal support for the longitudinal arch of the foot is a deep fascia called plantar aponeurosis, which runs from the calcaneus bone to the toes (inflammation of this tissue is the cause of “plantar fasciitis,” which can affect runners. What is the largest muscle in the lower leg? The action produced is the extension of the toes 2-5 and is innervated by the deep fibular nerve (L4-S1). Which muscles form the hamstrings? Plantaris is a thin rope-like muscle, with its tendon running down the posterior portion of the lower leg parallel to the much larger calcaneal or Achilles Tendon. Middle 3rd of medial lip of linea aspera. Adductor Longus is a large, flat muscle, that partially covers adductor brevis and magnus and forms the medial border of the femoral triangle. It causes flexion of phalanges 2-5 and is innervated by the tibial nerve (L5-S1). The ischial tuberosity is the bony protrusion which takes the body’s weight during sitting.. Ischial tuberosity; linea aspera; distal femur: Head of fibula; lateral condyle of tibia: Moves back of lower legs up and back toward the buttocks, as when kneeling; moves thigh down and back; twists the thigh (and lower leg) outward: Femur; tibia/fibula: Thigh: extension; lateral rotation. It is sometimes surgically grafted into the hand or forearm to replace a damaged muscle. The main action is flexion at the knee. The hamstrings flex the leg at the knee joint. The hip joint is where the pelvic girdle and the leg come together. The short head originates from the linea aspera on the posterior surface of the femur. The long head originates on the ischial tuberosity and inserts on the head of the fibula. This head receives innervation from the tibial portion of the sciatic nerve. Likewise, to the name it produces lateral rotation at the hip and is innervated by the branches of the sacral nerves (S1-S2). Femur-The lateral condyle is lateral. Posterior head - Ischial tuberosity Insertion: Anterior head - gluteal tuberosity, linea aspera and medial supracondylar line of the femur Posterior head - adductor tubercle of the femur The dorsal group includes only one muscle, the extensor digitorum brevis. The anterior compartment includes the tibialis anterior, the extensor hallucis longus, the extensor digitorum longus, and the fibularis (peroneus) tertius. Its main action causes knee extension. We also acknowledge previous National Science Foundation support under grant numbers 1246120, 1525057, and 1413739.