9 Gluteal muscles
Gluteus maximus
Origin: Outer surface of ilium, sacrum, Gluteus minimus
coccyx, sacrotuberous ligament Origin: Outer surface of ilium
Insertion: Iliotibial tract, gluteal Insertion: anterior surface of greater
tubercle of femur trochanter of femur
Action: Extension and lateral rotation Action: Abducts thigh at hip joint, tilts
of thigh at hip joint. Extension of knee the pelvis when walking (to permit
joint through iliotibial tract. opposite leg to clear ground)
Innervation: Inferior gluteal nerve Innervation: Superior gluteal nerve
Piriformis
After Gluteus maximus is cut. Origin: Anterior surface of sacrum
After Gluteus medius is also cut.
Insertion: upper border of greater
Gluteus medius trochanter of femur
Origin: Outer surface of ilium Action: Lateral rotator of thigh at hip
Insertion: lateral surface of greater joint
trochanter of femur Innervation: 1st and 2nd sacral nerves
Action: Abducts thigh at hip joint, tilts TFL is more on the antero-lateral part.
the pelvis when walking (to permit
Gemellus superior
opposite leg to clear ground)
Origin: Ischial spine
Innervation: Superior gluteal nerve
Insertion: upper border of greater
trochanter of femur
Quadratus femoris Action: Lateral rotator of thigh at hip
Origin: Ischial tuberosity (lateral joint
border) Innervation: sacral plexus
Insertion: quadrate tubercle of femur
Action: Lateral rotation of thigh at hip
Obturator internus
joint
Origin: inner surface of obturator
Innervation: Sacral plexus
membrane
Insertion: upper border of greater
If you remove the quadratus femoris, trochanter of femur
you can find the Obturator externus. Gemellus inferior Action: Lateral rotator of thigh at hip
Origin: Ischial tuberosity joint
Insertion: upper border of greater Innervation: Sacral plexus
trochanter of femur
Action: Lateral rotator of thigh at hip
Tensor fasciae latae
joint
Origin: Iliac crest
Innervation: Sacral plexus
Insertion: iliotibial tract
Action: assists the gluteus maximus in
extending the knee joint
Innervation: Superior gluteal nerve
Cross section of left thigh showing the arrangements of 8 muscles of the Anterior Compartment of Thigh
muscles from the superficial to deep. Note that the
sartorius muscle can be seen from the medial side at
the mid-shaft of the thigh. These muscles comprise the iliopsoas muscle.
Psoas
Origin: Transverse process, vertebral bodies, and
intervertebral discs of T12 and five lumbar vertebrae
Insertion: with iliacus into lesser trochanter of femur
Action: Flexion of thigh at trunk. If thigh is fixed, it
flexes the trunk of thigh (such as in sit-ups exercise)
Innervation: Lumbar plexus
Sartorius Iliacus
Origin: ASIS (anterosuperior iliac spine) Origin: Iliac fossa of hip bone
Insertion: upper medial surface of shaft of tibia Insertion: with psoas into lesser trochanter of femur
Action: Flexion, abduction, and lateral rotation of thigh Action: Flexion of thigh at trunk. If thigh is fixed, it
at hip joint. Flexion and medial rotation of leg at knee flexes the trunk of thigh (such as in sit-ups exercise)
joint. Innervation: femoral nerve
Innervation: Femoral nerve
Rectus femoris
Origin:
Vastus lateralis Straight head: AIIS (anteroinferior iliac spine)
Reflected head: ilium above acetabulum
Origin: upper end and shaft of Action: Extension of the leg at knee joint. Flexion of the
femur thigh at hip joint.
Action: extension of leg at
knee joint
Vastus intermedius
(More posterior than the superficial rectus femoris
and vastus lateralis. Not shown in the figure)
Origin: antero-lateral surfaces of shaft of femur
Vastus medialis Action: extension of leg at knee joint. Articularis genus
Origin: Upper end and shaft of femur retracts synovial membrane between patella and
Action: Extension of leg at knee joint, stabilizes patella femur.
Pectineus
Origin: Superior ramus of pubis
Insertion: upper end of linea aspera of shaft of femur
Action: Flexion and adduction of thigh at hip joint
These 4 muscles comprise the QUADRICEPS.
Innervation: femoral nerve
They are all the same in the following:
Insertion: Quadriceps tendon into patella, then via
patellar ligament into the tibial tubercle
Innervation: Femoral nerve
5 muscles of the Medial Compartment of Thigh
Gracilis
Origin: Inferior ramus of pubis
Insertion: upper part of shaft of tibia on medial surface
Action: adduction of thigh at hip joint, flexion of the leg
at knee joint
Innervation: obturator nerve
Posterior view Obturator externus
Origin: outer surface of obturator membrane
Adductor magnus Insertion: medial surface of greater trochanter
Origin: inferior ramus of pubis, ramus of ischium, Action: lateral rotation of thigh at hip joint
ischial tuberosity Innervation: obturator nerve
Insertion: posterior surface of shaft of femur, adductor
tubercle of femur
Action: Adduction of thigh at hip joint and assists in
medial rotation; hamstring portion extends thigh at hip
joint
Innervation:
Adductor portion: obturator nerve
Hamstring portion: sciatic nerve
Adductor brevis
(deeper than the adductor magnus)
Origin: Inferior ramus of pubis
Insertion: posterior surface of shaft of femur (linea
aspera)
Action: adduction of thigh at hip joint
Innervation: obturator nerve
Adductor longus
Origin: body of pubis
Insertion: posterior surface of shaft of femur (linea
aspera)
Action: adduction of thigh at hip joint and assists in
medial rotation
Innervation: obturator nerve
4 Muscles of Posterior Compartment of Thigh
Adductor magnus (hamstring portion)
Origin: Ischial tuberosity
Insertion: Adductor tubercle of femur
Action: extends thigh at hip joint
Innervation: tibial portion of sciatic nerve
Semimembranosus
Origin: Ischial tuberosity
Insertion: Medial condyle of tibia
Action: Flexes and medially rotates leg at knee joint,
Semitendinosus extends thigh at hip joint
Origin: Ischial tuberosity Innervation: tibial portion of sciatic nerve
Insertion: Upper part of medial surface of shaft of tibia
Action: Flexes and medially rotates leg at knee joint,
extends thigh at hip joint
Innervation: tibial portion of sciatic nerve
Biceps femoris
(NOTE: short head is underneath the long head)
Origin:
Long head: ischial tuberosity
Short head: linea aspera, lateral supracondylar ridge of
shaft of femur
Insertion: Head of fibula
Action: Flexes and medially rotates leg at knee joint,
extends thigh at hip joint
Innervation:
Long head: tibial portion of sciatic nerve
Short head: common fibular portion of sciatic nerve
4 muscles of the anterior compartment and 2 muscles of lateral compartment of the leg
Fibularis tertius
Origin: Anterior surface of shaft of
fibula
Insertion: base of 5th metatarsal Gastrocnemius
bone
Action: Dorsiflexion of foot at
ankle joint. EVERTS foot at
subtalar and transverse tarsal Tibialis anterior
joints. Soleus
Innervation: Deep fibular nerve
Extensor digitorum
longus
Tibialis anterior
Origin: Lateral surface of shaft of tibia
and interosseous membrane Fibularis longus
Insertion: medial cuneiform and base
of 1st metatarsal bone Origin: lateral surface of shaft of fibula
Action: Dorsiflexion of foot at ankle Insertion: base of 1st metatarsal and the medial
joint. Inverts foot at subtalar and cuneiform
transverse tarsal joints. Holds up Action: plantar flexion of foot at ankle joint.
medial longitudinal arch of foot. EVERTS foot at subtalar and transverse tarsal
Innervation: Deep fibular nerve joints. Supports lateral longitudinal and
transverse arches of foot.
Extensor digitorum longus Innervation: Superficial fibular nerve
Origin: Anterior surface of shaft of
fibula Fibularis brevis
Insertion: extensor expansion of lateral (underneath the fibularis longus)
four toes
Action: Extends toe, dorsiflexion of Origin: lateral surface of shaft of fibula
foot at ankle joint. Insertion: base of 5th metatarsal bone
Innervation: Deep fibular nerve Action: plantar flexion of foot at ankle joint.
EVERTS foot at subtalar and transverse tarsal
Extensor hallucis longus joints. Supports lateral longitudinal and
transverse arches of foot.
Origin: Anterior surface of shaft of Innervation: Superficial fibular nerve
fibula
Insertion: base of distal phalanx of
great toe
Action: Extends big toe, Dorsiflexion of
foot at ankle joint. Inverts foot at
subtalar and transverse tarsal joints.
Innervation: Deep fibular nerve
Superficial and deep muscles of the posterior compartment of the leg
Gastrocnemius (superficial)
Origin: lateral head from lateral condyle of femur and medial head from above
medial condyle
Insertion: posterior surface of calcaneum via tendo calcaneus
Action: Plantar flexion of foot at ankle joint. Flexes knee joint
Innervation: tibial nerve
Soleus (superficial)
Origin: shafts of tibia and fibula
Insertion: posterior surface of calcaneum via tendo calcaneus
Action: together with gastrocnemius, a powerful plantar flexor of foot at ankle
joint. Provides main propulsive force in walking and running
Innervation: tibial nerve
UNABLEL TO LOCATE:
Popliteus UNABLE TO LOCATE:
Plantaris (superficial)
Origin: lateral surface of lateral Origin: Lateral supracondylar ridge of femur
condyle of femur Insertion: posterior surface of calcaneum
Insertion: posterior surface of shaft of Action: plantar flexion of foot at ankle joint. Flexes knee joint
tibia above soleal line Innervation: tibial nerve
Action: flexes leg at knee joint.
Unlocks knee joint by lateral rotation v
of femur on tibia and slackens
ligaments of joint. Tibialis posterior
Innervation: tibial nerve
Origin: posterior surface of shaft of tibia and fibula and interosseous membrane
Insertion: tuberosity of navicular bone
Action: PLANTAR FLEXION. INVERSION of foot. Support medial longitudinal arches of
foot
Innervation: tibial nerve
Flexor digitorum longus
Origin: posterior surface of shaft of Flexor hallucis longus
tibia
Insertion: bases of distal phalanges of Origin: posterior surface of shaft of tibia
lateral 4 toes Insertion: bases of distal phalanges of big toe
Action: flexes distal phalanges of Action: flexes distal phalanges of big toe. PLANTAR FLEXION. Support medial
lateral 4 toes. PLANTAR FLEXION. longitudinal arches of foot
Support medial and lateral Innervation: tibial nerve
longitudinal arches of foot
Innervation: tibial nerve