Upper Leg Muscles - MBLEx

Gluteal Group:

When do you use your gluteals? Climbing stairs, running, cycling, swimming, skating.

• Gluteus maximus:

  • Action: Extend the hip, laterally rotate the hip, abduct the hip.

    • The lower fibers of the gluteus maximus adduct the hip.

  • Origin: Coccyx, sacrum, posterior iliac crest

  • Insertion: IT band and lower fibers on the gluteal tuberosity of the femur.

• Gluteus medius (the deltoid of the hip):

  • Action: All fibers abduct the hip. Anterior fibers flex the hip and medially rotate the hip. Posterior fibers extend the hip and laterally (externally) rotate the hip.

  • Origin: Gluteal surface of ilium between the anterior and posterior gluteal lines, and the outer surface of the iliac crest.

  • Insertion: Greater trochanter

• Gluteus minimus:

  • Action: Abduct the hip, medially rotate the hip, and flex the hip.

  • Origin: Gluteal surface of the ilium between the anterior and inferior gluteal lines.

  • Insertion: Greater trochanter

Quadriceps Femoris Group:

When do you use your quads? Kicking a ball, and the rectus femoris when raising knee quickly into a bad guy’s balls.

ALL quad muscles extend the knee and insert into the tibial tuberosity via patella tendon.

• Rectus Femoris (the queen- above all others):

  • Action: Extend the knee, flex the hip

  • Origin: AIIS (anterior inferior iliac spine) above the femur

  • Insertion: Tibial tuberosity via patella tendon

• Vastus Medialis:

  • Action: Extend the knee

  • Origin: Medial lip of linea aspera

  • Insertion: Tibial tuberosity via patella tendon

• Vastus Intermedius:

  • Action: Extend the knee

  • Origin: Shaft of Femur

  • Insertion: Tibial tuberosity via patella tendon

• Vastus Lateralis:

  • Action: Extend the knee

  • Origin: Lateral lip of linea aspera

  • Insertion: Tibial tuberosity via patella tendon

Hamstrings Group:

When do you use your hamstrings? Running, climbing stairs, stabilizing your hip when bending over to tie your shoes, scraping mud off your boots in hip extension.

All hamstrings flex the knee and extend the hip. Both semi muscles medially rotate flexed knee. Biceps femoris laterally rotates flexed knee,

• Biceps Femoris:

  • Action: All fibers: flex the knee, lateral rotation of flexed knee. Long head: Extend the hip, assist to laterally rotate the hip and also tilt pelvis posteriorly (soup spilling out the back)

  • Origin: Long head: Ischial tuberosity, Short head: Lateral lip of linea aspera of femur

  • Insertion: Head of fibula

• Semitendinous:

  • Action: Flex the knee, extend the hip, medially rotate flexed knee

  • Origin: Ischial tuberosity

  • Insertion: Pes anserinus tendon (medial surface of proximal tibia

• Semimembranous:

  • Action: Flex the knee, extend the hip, medial rotation of flexed knee

  • Origin: Ischial tuberosity

  • Insertion: Medial condyle of tibia