Anatomy of the thigh Flashcards
What are the boundaries of the femoral triangle
Boundaries
* Superior (base) – inguinal
ligament
* Medial – medial border of
adductor longus
* Lateral – medial border of
sartorius
* Floor – iliopsoas, pectineus,
adductor longus
* Roof – Fascia lata
* Apex – opens to adductor
canal
What are the contents of the femoral triangle
Contents (lateral to medial)
* Femoral nerve
* Femoral sheath –
* Femoral artery
* Femoral vein
* Lymphatics
* Fat
* Provides vascular access
to lower limb and body
What is the femoral sheath, femoral canal and femoral ring?
Femoral sheath – fascial
sleeve containing femoral
artery, vein and lymphatics
* Each within own fascial
compartment
* Femoral canal – medial
compartment containing
lymphatics and fat
* Communicates superiorly
with femoral ring – bounded
by femoral vein (lateral),
lacunar ligament (medial),
inguinal ligament (anterior)
and pectineus (posterior)
What is the saphenous opening
Saphenous
opening – opening
in fascia lata for
great saphenous
vein to join femoral
vein
Describe iliopsoas (anterior thigh)
Origin – posterior abdominal
wall between TXII to LV (psoas
major) and iliac fossa (iliacus)
* Insertion – lesser trochanter
* Innervation – anterior rami (L1,
L2, L3) for psoas and femoral
nerve (L2, L3) for iliacus
* Action – flex thigh at hip joint
What are the quadriceps muscles
VASTUS MEDIALIS
* Origin – medial parts of
intertrochanteric line, pectineal
line, linea aspera, medial
supracondylar line
* Insertion – quadriceps femoris
tendon
* Innervation – femoral nerve (L2,
L3, L4)
* Action – extends leg at knee
VASTUS INTERMEDIUS
* Origin – upper 2/3rds of
anterior and lateral femur
* Insertion – quadriceps femoris
tendon
* Innervation – femoral nerve
(L2, L3, L4)
* Action – extends leg at knee
VASTUS LATERALIS
* Origin – lateral intertrochanteric
line, gluteal tuberosity and linea
aspera
* Insertion – quadriceps femoris
tendon
* Innervation – femoral nerve (L2,
L3, L4)
* Action – extends leg at knee
RECTUS FEMORIS
* Origin – AIIS (straight head) and
ilium above acetabulum
(reflected head)
* Insertion – quadriceps femoris
tendon
* Innervation – femoral nerve (L2,
L3, L4)
* Action – extends leg at knee and
flexes thigh at hip
Describe the sartorius
Origin – anterior superior iliac
spine
* Insertion – medial surface of
tibia below tuberosity
* Innervation – femoral nerve
(L2, L3)
* Action – flexes thigh at hip and
flexes leg at knee
Describe the muscles of the medial thigh (gracilis and pectineus)
Origin – anterior superior iliac
spine
* Insertion – medial surface of
tibia below tuberosity
* Innervation – femoral nerve
(L2, L3)
* Action – flexes thigh at hip and
flexes leg at knee
What are the adductor muscles
ADDUCTOR LONGUS
* Origin – anterior surface of pubis
* Insertion – linea aspera on
middle third of femur
* Innervation – obturator nerve
(L2, L3, L4)
* Action – adducts and medially
(possibly laterally) rotates thigh
at hip
ADDUCTOR BREVIS
* Origin – body of pubis and inferior
pubic ramus
* Insertion – posterior femoral surface
and upper linea aspera
* Innervation – obturator nerve (L2, L3)
* Action – adducts thigh at hip
OBTURATOR EXTERNUS
* Origin – external surface of obturator
membrane and adjacent bone
* Insertion – trochanteric fossa
* Innervation – obturator nerve (L2,
L3, L4)
* Action – laterally rotates thigh at hip
ADDUCTOR MAGNUS
Origin – ischiopubic ramus
(adductor part) and ischial
tuberosity (hamstring
part)
* Insertion – posterior
femur, upper linea aspera,
medial supracondylar line
(adductor part) and
adductor tubercle
(hamstring part)
* Innervation – obturator
nerve (L2, L3, L4) adductor
part, sciatic nerve (tibial,
L2, L3, L4) hamstring part
* Action – adducts, extends
and medially rotates thigh
at hip joint
ADDUCTOR HIATUS
* Adductor hiatus –
allows contents of
adductor canal into
popliteal fossa
What are the posterior thigh muscles (biceps femoris)
Origin – ischial tuberosity (long
head) and lateral lip of linea
aspera (short head)
* Insertion – head of fibula
* Innervation – sciatic nerve (L5,
S1, S2) – long head by tibial
division, short head by common
fibular division
* Action – flexes leg at knee joint,
extends thigh at hip joint,
laterally rotates the thigh at the
hip joint and leg at knee joint
semitendinosus
Origin – ischial tuberosity
* Insertion – medial surface of
proximal tibia
* Innervation – sciatic nerve (L5,
S1, S2) – tibial division
* Action – flexes leg at knee joint,
extends thigh at hip joint,
medially rotates the thigh at the
hip joint and leg at knee joint
semimebranosous
- Origin – ischial tuberosity
- Insertion – medial and
posterior surface of the medial
tibial condyle - Innervation – sciatic nerve (L5,
S1, S2) – tibial division - Action – flexes leg at knee joint,
extends thigh at hip joint,
medially rotates the thigh at the
hip joint and leg at knee joint
What is the nerve supply of the anterior thigh
Quadriceps femoris receives innervation
primarily from spinal cord segments L3
& L4*.
Most muscles of anterior compartment
innervated by the femoral nerve
(except for psoas major = anterior rami L1
- L3)
*Knee Jerk Reflex
- Tap the patellar ligament with a
hammer
- Tests integrity of spinal cord levels L3
& L4
What is the nerve supply of the medial thigh
Most muscles of medial compartment
innervated by the obturator nerve (L2 –
L4)
Exceptions
* Pectineus = Femoral n. (L2, L3)
* Hamstring part of magnus = Sciatic
nerve, tibial part (L2 – L4)
What are the nerves in the posterior compartment of the thigh
Muscles of the posterior compartment
innervated by the tibial division of the
sciatic nerve
Exception
* Short head of biceps femoris =
common fibular division of sciatic n.
