Muscles of The Hip/Thigh/Gluteal/Leg

Muscles That Act on the Hip Joint/Thigh

• Psoas Major

• Iliacus

• Psoas Minor

Psoas Major

• Action: Flexes the thigh, laterally bends the vertebral column.

• Innervation: L1-L3

• Origin: Lumbar Vertebrae

• Insertion: Lesser Trochanter

Iliacus

• Action: Flexes the thigh

• Innervation: Femoral

• Origin: Iliac Fossa

• Insertion: Lesser Trochanter

Psoas Minor

• Action: Aids in flexing of trunk

• Innervation: L2-L3

• Origin: N/A

• Insertion: N/A

Gluteal Region Muscles:

• Gluteus maximus

• Gluteus medius

• Glutues minimus

Gluteus maximus

• Action: Extends the thigh (especially when the thigh is in the flexed position), laterally rotates the thigh, abducts the thigh

• Innervation: Inferior gluteal

• Origin: Dorsal ilium, sacrum, coccyx

• Insertion: Gluteal tuberosity of femur, iliotibial tract

Gluteus Medius

• Action: Abducts the thigh, medially rotates the thigh, stabilizes the pelvis while walking

• Innervation: Superior gluteal

• Origin: Lateral surface of ilium

• Insertion: Greater trochanter of femur.

Glutues Minimus

• Action: Abducts the thigh, medially rotates the thigh, stabilizes the pelvis while walking.

• Innervation: Superior gluteal

• Origin: Lateral surface of the ilium

• Insertion: Greater trochanter of the femur

Deep Gluteal Muscles (Lateral Rotators)

• Piriformis

• Gemellus superior

• Obturator internus

• Gemellus inferior

• Obtuator externus

• Quadratus femoris

Piriformis

• Action: Abducts the thigh, laterally rotates the thigh

• Innervation: S1, S2, L5

• Origin: N/A

• Insertion: Greater trochanter of the femur

• Greater sciatic nerve (BIG MF) travels underneath

Gemellus Superior

• Action: Rotates thigh laterally

• Innervation: L5, S1

• Origin: N/A

• Insertion: Greater trochanter of the femur

Obturator Internus

• Action: Abducts and laterally rotates the thigh

• Innervation: L5, S1

• Origin: N/A

• Insertion: Greater trochanter of the femur

Gemellus Inferior

• Action: Rotates thigh laterally

• Innervation: L5, S1

• Origin: N/A

• Insertion: Greater trochanter of the femur

Obturator Externus

• Action: Laterally rotates the thigh

• Innervation: Obturator

• Origin: N/A

• Insertion: Greater trochanter of the femur

Quadratus Femoris

• Action: Laterally rotates the thigh

• Innervation: L5, S1

• Origin: N/A

• Insertion: Greater trochanter of the femur

Anterior Thigh (knee extensor) Compartment

• Sartorius

• Vastus Medialis

• Vastus Lateralis

• Vastus Intermedius

• Rectus Femoris

Sartorius

• Action: Flexes the thigh, flexes the knee, abducts and laterally rotates the thigh, actions produce a cross legged position

• Innervation: Femoral

• Origin: ASIS

• Insertion: Medial side of proximal tibia

Vastus Medialis

• Action: Extends leg

• Innervation: Femoral

• Origin: Linea aspera, intertrochanteric line

• Insertion: Patella and tibial tuberosity

Vastus Lateralis

• Action: Extends the knee, stabilizes the patella

• Innervation: Femoral

• Origin: Intertrochanteric line, proximal half of linea aspera

• Insertion: Patella and tibial tuberosity

Vastus Intermedius

• Action: Extends leg

• Innervation: Femoral

• Origin: Anterior and lateral portion of proximal femur

• Insertion: Patella and tibial tuberosity

Rectus Femoris

• Action: Extends the knee, flexes the thigh at the hip.

• Innervation: Femoral

• Origin: AIIS

• Insertion: Patella and tibial tuberosity

Medial Compartment of the thigh (adductor)

• Adductor Longus

• Adductor Brevis

• Adductor Magnus

• Pectineus

• Gracilis

Adductor Longus

• Action: Adducts the thigh, flexes the thigh, rotates the thigh medially

• Innervation: Obturator

• Origin: N/A

• Insertion: N/A

Adductor Brevis

• Action: Adducts the thigh, flexes the thigh, rotates the thigh medially

• Innervation: Obturator

• Origin: N/A

• Insertion: N/A

Adductor Magnus

• Action: Adducts the thigh, flexes the thigh, rotates the thigh medially

• Innervation: Obturator and sciatic

• Origin: Ischial tuberosity, ischial ramus, inferior ramus of pubis

• Insertion: Linea aspera and adductor tubercle of femur.

• Has the adductor hiatus, an important passage for blood vessels

Pectineus

• Action: Adducts the thigh, flexes the thigh, rotates the thigh medially

• Innervation: Femoral

• Origin: N/a

• Insertion: N/A

Gracilis

• Action: Adducts the thigh, flexes the thigh, flexes and rotates the leg medially

• Innervation: Obturator

• Origin: Body and inferior ramus of pubis

• Insertion: Medial surface of proximal tibia (pes anserinus)

Femoral Triangle

Formed by the sartorius, adductor logus, inguinal ligament. The floor is made of the Pectineus muscle

Vein artery and nerve passes through

Posterior compartment of the thigh (flexor)

• Biceps Femoris

• Semitendinosus

• Semimembranosus

Biceps femoris

• Action: Extends the thigh, flexes the kneeeeeee

• Innervation: Long head: Sciatic. Short head: Common fibular

• Origin: Long head: Ischial tuberosity. Short head: linea aspera

• Insertion: Head of teh lateral condyle of tibia

Semitendinosus

• Action: Extends the thigh, flexes the knee

• Innervation: Sciatic

• Origin: Ischial tuberosity

• Insertion: Medial surface of proximal tibia (Pes anserinus)

Semimembranosus

• Action: Extends the thigh, flexes the knee

• Innervation: Sciatic

• Origin: N/A

• Insertion: N/A

Lateral compartment of the thigh (abductor)

• Tensor Fascia Latae

• Iliotibial band (Connective tissue band)

Tensor Fascia Latae

• Action: Abducts the thigh, flexes the thigh, rotates the thigh medially, tightens (tenses) the fascia lata and deep fascia of lateral thigh

• Innervation: Superior gluteal

• Origin: Iliac crest and ASIS

• Insertion: Illiotibial tract

Iliotibial band (connective tissue band)

• Action: Laterally supports the knee when the tensor fasciae lata contracts

• Innervation: N/A

• Origin: Iliac crest

• Insertion: Lateral condyle of tibia

Leg Muscles Anterior Compartment

• Tibialis Anterior

• Extensor Hallucis Longus

• Extensor Digitorum longus

• Fibularis (peroneus) teritus

Tibialis Anterior

• Action: Dorsiflexes the foot, inverts the foot

• Innervation: Deep fibular

• Origin: Lateral condyle and upper diaphysis of tibia

• Insertion: First cuneiform and base of first metatarsal

Extensor Hallucis Longus

• Action: Extends the big toe, dorsiflexes the foot

• Innervation: Deep fibular

• Origin: N/A

• Insertion: N/A

Extensor Digitorum Longus

• Action: Extends the toes, dorsiflexus the foot

• Innervation: Deep fibular

• Origin: N/A

• Insertion: N/A

Fibularis (peroneus) tertius

• Action: Dorsiflexes and everts foot

• Innervation: Deep fibular

• Origin: N/A

• Insertion: N/A

Lateral compartment of the leg muscles (fibular)

• Fibularis Longus

• Fibularis Brevis

Fibularis Longus

• Action: Everts teh foot, plantar flexes the foot

• Innervation: Superficial fibular

• Origin: N/A

• Insertion: N/A

Fibularis Brevis

• Action: Everts the foot, plantar flexes the foot

• Innervation: Superficial fibular

• Origin: N/A

• Insertion: N/A

Posterior Superficial Compartment of the Leg Muscles

• Gastrocnemius

• Soleus

• Plantaris

Gastrocnemius

• Action: Plantar flexus the foot, assists with knee flexion

• Innervation: Tibial

• Origin: Medial and lateral condyles of femur

• Insertion: Posterior surface of calcaneus

Soleus

• Action: Plantar flexes the foot

• Innervation: Tibial

• Origin: Head of fibula, proximal tibia, and interosseus membrane

• Insertion: Posterior surface of calcaneus

Plantaris

• Action: Plantar flexes the foot, assists with knee flexion

• Innervation: Tibial

• Origin: N/A

• Insertion: N/A

Posterior Deep Compartment of the Leg Muscles

• Popliteus

• Tibialis Posterior

• Flexor Digitorum Longus

• Flexor Hallucis Longus

Popliteus

• Action: Knee Flexion, laterally rotating the femur on the tibia when walking

• Innervation: Tibial

• Origin: N/A

• Insertion: N/A

Tibialis Posterior

• Action: Invers the foot and plantar flexion

• Innervation: Tibial

• Origin: N/A

• Insertion: N/A

Flexor Digitorum longus

• Action: Flexes digits 2-5 and plantar flexion

• Innervation: Tibial

• Origin: N/A

• Insertion: N/A

Flexor Hallucis Longus

• Action: Flexes the great toe and plantar flexion

• Innervation: Tibial

• Origin: Posterior fibula and interosseus membrane

• Insertion: Base of distal phalanx of great toe

Femoral Nerve

Formed from the L2-L4 Spinal Nerves

Obturator Nerve

Originates from the lumbar plexus.

Sciatic Nerve

• Tibial Nerve

• Common Fibular Nerve

• Deep Fibular nerve

• Superficial Fibular Nerve

Tibial Nerve

Common Fibular Nerve

• Superficial Fibular Nerve

• Deep fibular nerve