Anatomy 34 Flashcards
What do the muscles in the posterior compartment of the leg primarily act as?
Plantarflexors of the foot at the ankle joint and flexors of the toes
What are the muscles in the posterior compartment of the leg innervated by?
Tibial nerve
What are the 3 superfical muscles found in the posterior compartment of the leg?
Gastrocnemis
Soleus
Plantaris
What do the tendons of the gastrocnemius, soleus and plantaris insert into?
The calcaneus via the calcaneal (Achilles) tendon
Which muscle out of the superficial muscles in the posterior compartment of the leg is the most superficial?
Gastrocnemius
What does the gastrocnemius attach via?
2 heads to the distal femur
What movements can the gastrocnemius execute?
Can flex the knee in addition to plantarflexing the
ankle
What is the soleus?
Large, flat muscle that lies deep to gastrocnemius
What is the soleus attached to?
Soleal line
What is important about contraction of the soleus?
Contraction of soleus compresses the deep veins of the leg and is important for venous return
What is plantaris?
Very small muscle that lies close to the popliteal fossa
What does plantaris give rise to?
A very long, thin tendon which merges with the Achilles tendon
What are the 4 deep muscles in the posterior compartment of the leg?
Popliteus
Tibialis posterior
Flexor hallucis longus (FHL)
Flexor digitorum longus (FDL)
Where do the tendons of the Tibialis posterior, Flexor hallucis longus (FHL) and Flexor digitorum longus (FDL) travel?
Travel posterior to the medial malleolus
Where do the tendons of the Tibialis posterior, Flexor hallucis longus (FHL) and Flexor digitorum longus (FDL) insert into?
The plantar surface of the bones of the foot
Where does the popliteus lie?
In the popliteal fossa
What is the popliteus attached to?
Tibia and the femur
What movement does the popliteus allow?
It allows for a small degree of rotation of the knee.
When the knee is flexed from full extension, popliteus slightly rotates the knee before flexion begins
What movements does the tibialis posterior execute?
Plantarflexes and inverts the foot
What do the tendons of the tibialis posterior attach to?
Multiple bones in the foot
What movement does the flexor hallucis longus execute?
Flexes the big toe via its insertion into the distal phalanx
Also plantarflexes the foot
What does the flexor digitorum longus give rise to?
4 tendons that insert into the distal phalanges of toes 2-5
What is the primary action of the flexor digitorum longus?
Flexion of the toes, but it also plantarflexes the foot
What intrinsic muscles are found in the sole of the foot?
Abductors of the big and little toes,
Flexors of the toes,
Adductor of the big toe,
Lumbricals and
Interossei.
How are the muscles in the sole of the foot arranged?
Arranged in 4 layers and mirror those of the palm
What are the muscles in the sole of the foot innervated by?
Medial and lateral plantar nerves