Muscles of the Pelvic Limb OIA + Images

Tensor fasciae latae m.

Origin: tuber coxae

Insertion: fascia lata

Action: tense the fascia lata (flex the coxal joint and extend the genual joint)

Superficial gluteal m.

Origin: sacrotuberous ligament

Insertion: third trochanter of the femur

Action: abduct the limb (may have a minor extensor action on the coxal joint)

Middle gluteal m.

Origin: gluteal surface of the ilium

Insertion: greater trochanter of the femur

Action: extend the coxal joint; abduct the limb; rotate pelvic limb medially

Piriformis m.

Origin: sacrum and first caudal vertebra

Insertion: greater trochanter

Action: extend the coxal joint

Deep gluteal m.

Origin: body of ilium and ischiatic spine

Insertion: greater trochanter (deep to the middle gluteal m.)

Action: abduct the limb and extend the coxal joint

Articularis coxae m.

Origin: ilium

Insertion: neck of femur

Action: adjusts/protects coxal joint capsule

External obturator m.

Origin: ventral aspect of os coxae around obturator foramen

Insertion: trochanteric fossa

Action: adduct and/or rotate the limb laterally at the coxal joint

Internal obturator m.

Origin: dorsal aspect of os coxae around obturator foramen

Insertion: trochanteric fossa

Action: rotate the limb laterally at the coxal joint

Highlighted tendon belongs to this muscle

Gemelli mm.

Origin: lateral aspect of ischium

Insertion: trochanteric fossa

Action: rotate the limb laterally at the coxal joint

Quadratus femoris m.

Origin: ventral aspect of ischium

Insertion: caudal femur near the trochanteric fossa

Action: extend coxal joint; adduct and/or rotate the limb laterally at the coxal joint.

Biceps femoris m.

Origin: ischiatic tuberosity and sacrotuberous ligament

Insertion: patella, tibia, and tuber calcanei

Action: extend the coxal joint; variable action on the genual joint; extend the tarsocrural joint

Semitendinosus m.

Origin: ischiatic tuberosity

Insertion: tibia and tuber calcanei

Action: extend the coxal joint; variable action on the genual joint; extend the tarsocrural joint

Semimembranosus m.

Origin: on or near the ischiatic tuberosity

Insertion: distal femur and proximal tibia

Action: extend coxal joint; variable action on the genual joint

Sartorius m. (has cranial (purple) and caudal (red) bellies in the dog only)

Origin: crest of ilium

Insertion: medial aspect of the genual region

Action: flex the coxal joint, extend (cr.) or flex (cd.) the genual joint

Gracilis m.

Origin: pelvic symphysis

Insertion: medial aspect of the genual region and tuber calcanei

Action: adduct the limb, extend the coxal joint; flex the genual joint; extend the tarsocrural joint

Pectineus m.

Origin: iliopubic eminence (prepubic tendon and cranial border of pubis)

Insertion: distal body of femur

Action: adduct the limb

Adductor m.

Origin: ventral surface of os coxae

Insertion: caudal surface of femur

Action: adduct the limb and extend the coxal joint

Quadriceps femoris m.

4 heads:

Green = rectus femoris

Red = vastus lateralis

Blue = vastus intermedius

Yellow = vastus medialis

Origin: rectus femoris - ilium; other 3 heads - proximal femur Insertion: tibial tuberosity

Action: flex the coxal joint (rectus femoris); extend the genual joint (all heads)

Iliopsoas m. (iliacus m. (Red) + psoas major m. (Green))

Origin: ilium (iliacus) and lumbar vertebrae (psoas major).

Insertion: lesser trochanter

Action: flex the coxal joint

Cranial tibial m.

Origin: lateral aspect of proximal tibia

Insertion: plantar base of metatarsal bones 1 and 2

Action: flex the tarsocrural joint and rotate paw laterally

Long digital extensor m.

Origin: extensor fossa of femur

Insertion: extensor processes of the distal phalanges

Action: extend the genual joint; flex the tarsocrural joint; extend the digital joints

Lateral digital extensor m.

Origin: on and near the proximal aspect of the fibula

Insertion: lateral digits

Action: flex the tarsocrural joint; extend the digital joints

Fibularis (peroneus) longus m. (absent in eq).

Origin: on or near lateral collateral ligament of the genual joint

Insertion: 4th tarsal bone and plantar base of metatarsal bones

Action: flex the tarsocrural joint and rotate the paw medially

Fibularis (peroneus) brevis m.

Origin: lateral surface of distal tibia & fibula

Insertion: metatarsal V base

Action: Tarsal flexion

Gastrocnemius m. (medial and lateral heads)

*Medial head not pictured

Origin: distal caudal femur

Insertion: tuber calcanei of the calcaneus

Action: flex the genual joint; extend the tarsocrural joint

Superficial digital flexor m.

Origin: lateral supracondylar tuberosity of femur

Insertion: tuber calcanei and bases of middle phalanges

Action: flex the genual joint; extend the tarsocrural joint; flex the metatarsophalangeal and proximal interphalangeal joints

Deep digital flexor m.

Red = Lateral head

Green = Medial head

Origin: proximal caudal aspect of the tibia and fibula

Insertion: flexor tubercle of distal phalanges

Action: extend the tarsocrural joint; flex the digital joints

Popliteus m.

Origin: popliteal fossa of the femur

Insertion: proximal caudal aspect of tibia

Action: flex the genual joint; rotate leg medially

Caudal crural abductor

Origin: sacrotuberal ligament

Insertion: crural fascia

Action: lim abduction + stifle flexion

Femoral Triangle

Space through which femoral vessels run

Lies between caudal belly of the sartorius m. and the pectineus m.

Lateral collateral ligament of stifle

Tendon of long digital extensor

Lateral menisci

Popliteal lymph node

Common calcanean tendon

Muscle ligaments that contribute:

Gastrocnemius m.

Biceps Femoris m.

Gracilis m.

Semitendinosus m.

Superficial digital flexor m.

Calcaneal bursa

Patellar ligament

Crural extensor retinaculum

Tarsal extensor retinaculum (distal to crural extensor retinaculum)

Sacrotuberous ligament

Ligament of the head of the femur

Transverse acetabular ligament

Acetabular lip

Medial femoropatellar ligament (genual jt)

Lateral femoropatellar ligament (genual jt)

Transverse ligament (genual jt)

Meniscofemoral ligament (genual jt)

Cranial cruciate ligament (genual jt)

Caudal cruciate ligament (genual jt)

Cranial meniscotibial ligament

Tensor fasciae latae m.

Origin: tuber coxae

Insertion: fascia lata

Action: tense the fascia lata (flex the coxal joint and extend the genual joint)

Superficial gluteal m.

Origin: sacrotuberous ligament

Insertion: third trochanter of the femur

Action: abduct the limb (may have a minor extensor action on the coxal joint)

Middle gluteal m.

Origin: gluteal surface of the ilium

Insertion: greater trochanter of the femur

Action: extend the coxal joint; abduct the limb; rotate pelvic limb medially

Piriformis m.

Origin: sacrum and first caudal vertebra

Insertion: greater trochanter

Action: extend the coxal joint

Deep gluteal m.

Origin: body of ilium and ischiatic spine

Insertion: greater trochanter (deep to the middle gluteal m.)

Action: abduct the limb and extend the coxal joint

Articularis coxae m.

Origin: ilium

Insertion: neck of femur

Action: adjusts/protects coxal joint capsule

External obturator m.

Origin: ventral aspect of os coxae around obturator foramen

Insertion: trochanteric fossa

Action: adduct and/or rotate the limb laterally at the coxal joint

Internal obturator m.

Origin: dorsal aspect of os coxae around obturator foramen

Insertion: trochanteric fossa

Action: rotate the limb laterally at the coxal joint

Gemelli mm.

Origin: lateral aspect of ischium

Insertion: trochanteric fossa

Action: rotate the limb laterally at the coxal joint

Quadratus femoris m.

Origin: ventral aspect of ischium

Insertion: caudal femur near the trochanteric fossa

Action: extend coxal joint; adduct and/or rotate the limb laterally at the coxal joint.

Biceps femoris m.

Origin: ischiatic tuberosity and sacrotuberous ligament

Insertion: patella, tibia, and tuber calcanei

Action: extend the coxal joint; variable action on the genual joint; extend the tarsocrural joint

Semitendinosus m.

Origin: ischiatic tuberosity

Insertion: tibia and tuber calcanei

Action: extend the coxal joint; variable action on the genual joint; extend the tarsocrural joint

Semimembranosus m.

Origin: on or near the ischiatic tuberosity

Insertion: distal femur and proximal tibia

Action: extend coxal joint; variable action on the genual joint

Sartorius m. (has cranial and caudal bellies in the dog only)

Origin: crest of ilium

Insertion: medial aspect of the genual region

Action: flex the coxal joint, extend (cr.) or flex (cd.) the genual joint

Gracilis m.

Origin: pelvic symphysis

Insertion: medial aspect of the genual region

Action: adduct the limb, extend the coxal joint; flex the genual joint; extend the tarsocrural joint

Pectineus m.

Origin: iliopubic eminence (prepubic tendon and cranial border of pubis)

Insertion: distal body of femur

Action: adduct the limb

Adductor m.

Origin: ventral surface of os coxae

Insertion: caudal surface of femur

Action: adduct the limb and extend the coxal joint

Quadriceps femoris m. (4 heads: rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius, and vastus medialis)

Origin: rectus femoris - ilium; other 3 heads - proximal femur

Insertion: tibial tuberosity

Action: flex the coxal joint (rectus femoris); extend the genual joint (all heads)

Iliopsoas m. (iliacus m. + psoas major m.)

Origin: ilium (iliacus) and lumbar vertebrae (psoas major).

Insertion: lesser trochanter

Action: flex the coxal joint

Cranial tibial m.

Origin: lateral aspect of proximal tibia

Insertion: plantar base of metatarsal bones 1 and 2

Action: flex the tarsocrural joint and rotate paw laterally

Long digital extensor m.

Origin: extensor fossa of femur

Insertion: extensor processes of the distal phalanges

Action: extend the genual joint; flex the tarsocrural joint; extend the digital joints

Lateral digital extensor m.

Origin: on and near the proximal aspect of the fibula

Insertion: lateral digits

Action: flex the tarsocrural joint; extend the digital joints

Peroneus longus m. (absent in eq).

Origin: on or near lateral collateral ligament of the genual joint

Insertion: 4th tarsal bone and plantar base of metatarsal bones

Action: flex the tarsocrural joint and rotate the paw medially

Gastrocnemius m. (medial and lateral heads)

Origin: distal caudal femur

Insertion: tuber calcanei of the calcaneus

Action: flex the genual joint; extend the tarsocrural joint

Superficial digital flexor m.

Origin: lateral supracondylar tuberosity of femur

Insertion: tuber calcanei and bases of middle phalanges

Action: flex the genual joint; extend the tarsocrural joint; flex the metatarsophalangeal and proximal interphalangeal joints

Deep digital flexor m.

Origin: proximal caudal aspect of the tibia and fibula

Insertion: flexor tubercle of distal phalanges

Action: extend the tarsocrural joint; flex the digital joints

Popliteus m.

Origin: popliteal fossa of the femur

Insertion: proximal caudal aspect of tibia

Action: flex the genual joint; rotate leg medially