Anterior Compartment

Where does it start and end?

Inguinal ligament to knee joint

Anterior thigh muscles

Sartorius, quadriceps femoris (rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, vastus interdmedius). Psoas major and iliacus

Anterior thigh - muscle action

Hip flexion and knee extension

Anterior thigh - nerves

Femoral nerve (supplies all muscles except the psoas major)

Anterior thigh - blood supply

Profunda femoris artery

Psoas major

O: transverse process, vertebral bodies, discs of T12 - L5

I: lesser trochanter

Nerve supply: Lumbar plexus

Nerve roots: anterior rami of L1, L2, L3

Iliacus

O: iliac foss

I: lesser trochanter

Nerve supply: femoral nerve

Nerve roots: L2, L3

Iliopsoas - action

hip flexion (from standing). Sit ups - where hip flexes on a fixed femur

Sartorius

O: anterior superior iliac spine

I: anteromedial surface of proximal tibia

Nerve supply: femoral nerve

Nerve roots: L2, L3

Quadriceps

Recturs femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, vastus intermedius

Quadriceps insertion - extensor mechanism

All 4 insert onto tibial tuberosity via extensor mechanism: quadriceps tendon, patella, patellar ligament, tibial tuberosity

Rectus femoris

O: Straight head (anterior inferior iliac spine) reflected head (upper margin of acetabelar rim)
I: tibial tuberosity via quadriceps mechanism
Nerve supply: femoral
Nerve roots: L2, L3, L4

Vastus lateralis

O: gluteal tuberosity, lateral intertrochanteric line, ½ of linea aspera

I: tibial tuberosity via quadriceps mechanism

Nerve supply: femoral

Nerve roots: L2, L3, L4

Vastus medialis

O: inferomedial intertrochanteric line, medial lip of linea aspea, 1/3 of medial supracondylar line

I: tibial tuberosity via quadriceps mechanism

Nerve supply: femoral

Nerve roots: L2, L3, L4

vastus medialis - obliquus fibres

• Fibres run horizontally

• Some consider this vastus medialis obliquus muscle

• Helps track the patella medially

Vastus intermedius

O: upper 2/3 of anterior and lateral shaft of femur

I: tibial tuberosity via quadriceps mechanism

Nerve supply: femoral

Nerve roots: L2, L3, L4

Action - quadriceps muscle

All 4 does knee extension

Action - rectus femoris

Hip flexion/knee extension

Functions - quadriceps muscle

Walking, stairs, in and out of chair

The femoral nerve - motor supply

Anterior compartment of thigh: rectus femoris, vastus intermedius, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, pectineus, sartorius

Femoral nerve - cutaneous supply

Skin on front of anterior thigh

Femoral and profunda femoris artery

• Femoral and profunda main in anterior thigh compartment

• Profunda: anterior, medial and posterior compartments

Femoral artery

Continuation of external iliac artery, going to anterior thigh femoral triangle, descends to anteromedial thigh

What is the profunda artery also called?

deep artery of the thigh

Profunda femoris artery - perofrating branches

• Descends deep into thigh in 3-4 branches

• Travels to medial compartment of thigh

• pierce openings in adductor magnus to enter posterior compartment of thigh

Medial circumflex femoral artery

• Travels into back of thigh

• Joins with inferior gluteal artery

  • Provides important branches to back of femur

Lateral circumflex femoral artery

• Tramsverse, ascending and descending branches

• Supplies adjacent quadriceps, head and neck of femur, anastomes around the knee

What muscles crosses the hip joint?

Iliacus and psoas major

What muscles crosses the knee?

3 vasti (only extend the knee joint)
Rectus femoris crosses both hip and knee joint