Lower Limb Muscles

Psoas Major

Origin: vertebrae T12-L4

Insertion: Lesser trochanter

Action: Flexes and rotates hip

Iliacus

Origin: iliac fossa

Insertion: lesser trochanter

Action: Flexes and rotates hip

Iliopsoas

psoas and iliacus muscles combine to from this muscle as it enters the thigh region

Gluteus Maximus

Origin: Posterior iliac crest and sacrum

Insertion gluteal tuberosit and iliotibial tract

Action: Extends and rotates hip; superior part abducts hip, inferior part aducts hip

Gluteus Medius

Origin: Lateral iliac surface

Insertion: Greater Trochanter

Action: abducts hip; anterior part flezes and rotates hip, posterior part extends and rotates hip

Tensor Fasciae Latae

Origin: Anterior superior iliac spine

Insertion: Iliotibial tract

Action: flexes and abducts hip, tenses fascia lata

Fascia Lata

Layer of connective tissue overlying thigh muscles

Iliotibial tract

Band of longitudinal fibers on lateral side of fascia lata, connects distally to the lateral condyle of tibia

Piriformis

Origin: Anterior sacral surface

Insertion: greater trochanter

Action: Abducts, extends and rotates hip

Gemellus Superior

Origin: Ischial Spine

Insertion: Greater Trochanter

Action: Adducts, extends and rotates hip

Obturator Internus

Origin: inner surface of obturator membrane

Insertion: greater trochanter

Action: adducts, extends and rotates hip

Gemellus Inferior

Origin: Ischial tuberosity

Insertion: greater trochanter

Action: adducts, extends an rotates hip

Quadratus Femoris

Origin: ischial tuberosity

Insertion: intertrochanteric crest

Action: adducts and rotates hip

Sartorius

Origin: anterior superior iliac spine

Insertion: medial tibial surface

Action: flexes, abducts and rotates hip; flexes and rotates knee

Quadriceps Femoris

Muscle group associated with movement of the knee (and hip)

Rectus Femoris

Origin: anterior inferior iliac spine

Insertion: tibial tuberosity

Action: flexes hip; extends knee

Vastus Intermedius

Origin: anterior shaft of femur

Insertion: tibial tuberosity

Action: extends knee

Vastus Lateralis

Origin: linea aspera

Insertion: tibial tuberosity

Action: extends knee

Vastus Medialis

Origin: linea aspera

Insertion: tibial tuberosity

Action: extends knee

Quadriceps Tendon

common tendon for quadriceps group, attaches to patella

Patellar Ligament

transfers action of quadriceps muscles from patella to tibia

Pectineus

Origin: pectineal line of pubis

Insertion: proximal linea aspera

Action: adducts and rotates hip

Adductor Longus

Origin: superior pubic ramus

Insertion: linea aspera

Action: adducts and flexes hip

Adductor Magnus

Origin: inferior pubic and ischial rami, ischial tuberosity

Insertion: linea aspera

Action: adducts, extends and rotates hip

Gracilis

Origin: inferior pubic ramus

Insertion: medial tibial surface

Action: adducts and flexes hip

Biceps Femoris

Long Head of Biceps Femoris

Origin: ischial tuberosity

Insertion: Head of fibula

Action: Flexes Knee and extends hip

Short Head of Biceps Femoris

Origin: linea aspera

Insertion: head of fibula

Action: flexes knee

Semimebranosus

Origin: ischial tuberosity

Insertion: Medial condyle of tibia

Action: flexes knee and extends hip

Semitendinosus

Origin: ischial tuberosity

Insertion: medial tibial surface

Action: flexes knee and extends hip

Tibialis Anterior

Origin: lateral tibial surface

Insertion: medial cuneiform and base of metatarsal I

Action: dorsiflexes and inverts foot

Extensor Digitorum Longus

Origin: lateral condyle of tibia, head and anterior fibula

Insertion: distal phalanges II-V

Action: dorsiflexes and inverts foot; extends hallux

Extensor Hallucis Longus

Origin: medial fibular surface

Insertion: distal phalanx I

Action: dorsiflexes foot; extends hallux

Fibularis Longus

Origin: head and lateral border of fibula

Insertion: passes across plantar surface of foot, inserts on medial cuneiform and metatarsal I

Action: plantarflexes nad everts foot

Fibularis Brevis

Origin: distal lateral border of fibula

Insertion: metatarsal V

Action: plantarflexes and everts foot

Gastrocnemius

Origin: epicondyles of femur

Insertion: calcaneal tuberosity

Action: plantar flexes food and flexes knee

Soleus

Origin: posterior tibial and fibular surfaces

Insertion: calcaneal tuberosity

Action: plantar flexes foot and flexes knee

Plantaris

Origin: lateral epicondyle of femur

Insertion: calcaneal tuberosity

Action: minimial action

Calcaneal Tendon

common tendon for the superficial posterior leg muscles

Popliteus

Origin: lateral epicondyle of femur

Insertion: posterior tibial surface

Action: flexes and rotates knee (limited)

Tibialis Posterior

Origin: proximal 1/2 of interosseus membrane, tibia and fibia

Insertion: plantar surface of navicular, cuneiforms and metatarsals II-V

Action: supports arch of foot

Flexor Digitorum Longus

Origin: middle 1/3 of posterior tibia

Insertion: distal phalanges II-V (accross the plantar surface)

Action: inverts foot; flexes digits II-V

Flexor Hallucis Longus

Origin: middle 1/3 of posterior fibula

Insertion: distal phalanx I

Action: plantarflexes and inverts foot; flexes hallux

Extensor Digitorum Brevis

Origin: dorsal surface of calcaneus

Insertion: middle phalanges of digits II-V

Action: extends digits II-V

Extensor Hallucis Brevis

Origin: dorsal surface of calcaneus

Insertion: base of prozimal phalanx I

Action: extends digit I

Abductor Hallucis

Origin: calcaneal tuberosity

Insertion: base of proximal phalanx I

Action: abducts and flexes hallux

Adductor Hallucis

Origin: oblique head from base of metatarsals II-IV; transverse head from head of metatarsals III-V

Inserion: base of proximal phalanx I

Action: adducts and flexes hallux

Flexor Hallucis Brevis

Origin: medial and intermediate cuneiforms

Inserion: base of prozimal phalanx I

Action: flexes hallux

Abductor Digiti Minimi

Origin: calcaneal tuberosity

Insertion: base of proximal phalanx V and tuberosity of metatarsal V

Action: abducts and flexes digit V

Flexor Digiti Minimi

Origin: base of metatarsal V

Insertion: base of proximal phalanx V

Action: flexes digit V

Plantar Aponeurosis

broad CT sheet coverin plantar surface of foot

Flexor Digitorum Brevis

Origin: calcaneal tuberosity

Insertion: base of middle phalanges II-V

Action: flexes digits II-V

Quadratus Plantae

Origin: calcaneal tuberosity

Insertion: lateral border of flexor digitorum longus tendon

Action: redirects and augments action of flexor digitorum longus

Lumbricals (4)

Origin: medial borders of digital branches of flexor digitorum longus tendon

Inserion: dorsal aponeuroses of digits II-V

Action: flexes metatarso-phalangeal joints and extends interphangeal joints of digits II-V; adducts digit V