Anterior and Medial Thigh SDL Flashcards
What are the muscles of the thigh surrounded by?
Fascia lata
How are the muscles of the thigh divided into anterior, medial and posterior compartments?
The fascia lata forms three intermuscular septa that run deep into the thigh and attach to the linea aspera of the femur
How does the fascia lata respond when the muscles of the thigh contract? What is the purpose of this?
The fascia lata does not stretch to accommodate their outward movement; instead the fascia lata resists the contracting muscles which helps to compress the veins of the thigh and aid venous return.
What is the iliotibial tract?
A thickened band of the fascia lata on the lateral side of the thigh
What muscles insert on the iliotibial tract?
Gluteus maximus and tensor fascia lata (TFL)
Describe the course of iliotibial tract. Where does it insert?
The iliotibial tract runs down the lateral aspect of the thigh, over the lateral part of the knee joint and inserts onto the lateral aspect of the tibia.
What is the function of the iliotibial tract?
It acts to stabilise the hip and knee
What is the main bulk of the anterior thigh formed by? What are the other muscles in the anterior thigh?
- Quadriceps muscles form the bulk
- Sartorius
- Pectineus
- Iliopsoas
What muscles comprise the quadriceps femoris?
- Vastus intermedius
- Vastus lateralis
- Vastus medialis
- Rectus femoris
What innervates the quadriceps muscles?
The femoral nerve (L2-4)
How do the quads insert?
They converge onto a common tendon - the quadriceps tendon - which runs anterior to the knee joint and onto the patella. The patellar ligament then connects the patella to a bony protuberance on the proximal anterior tibia called the tibial tuberosity.
Which quad muscle contributes to flexion of the hip?
Rectus femoris
Where does rectus femoris originate? Where do the vasti originate?
Rectus femoris - AIIS
Vasti - femur
Common action of the quad?
Extension of the knee (but rectus femoris also flexes hip)
How is the knee jerk reflex performed?
To test the knee jerk reflex, the patient sits on a couch with the leg dangling or the knee is flexed with the examiner supporting the weight of the leg with their arm. The examiner palpates for the patella and the tibial tuberosity, finds the halfway point between the two (i.e. the patella ligament) and taps with the tendon hammer.
What does the knee jerk reflex test?
This reflex tests the femoral nerve and the spinal nerves that it contains, i.e. L2, 3 and 4.
What would you expect to see with a normal knee jerk reflex?
Sudden kicking movement of the lower leg in response to a sharp tap on the patellar tendon
What part of the femoral triange does pectineus form?
The medial part of the floor
What part of the femoral triange does iliopsoas form?
The lateral part of the floor
What are the actions of pectineus?
Contributes to both flexion and adduction of the hip joint
What is pectineus innervated by?
Femoral nerve
Origin of pectineus? Insertion?
Origin: the pectineal line of pubis on the superior pubic ramus
Inserts: pectineal line on the femur (just inferior to the lesser trochanter)
What makes sartorius recognisable?
Lies obliquely across the thigh
Does sartorius act strongly on its own?
No - it has several actions, but does not act strongly on its own; generally, it is a muscle that assists others
Innervation of sartorius?
Femoral nerve
Action of sartorius?
At the hip joint, it is a flexor, abductor and lateral rotator. At the knee joint, it is also a flexor.
origin and insertion of sartorius?
ASIS –> superior part of the medial aspect of the tibia
What is the femoral artery a continuation of?
The external iliac artery
What is the major branch that leaves the femoral artery? What does this branch supply? What does this branch give rise to?
- Profunda femoris - the main artery of the thigh
- Gives rise to 3 or 4 perforating branches that supply the posterior compartment of the thigh
The femoral artery continues to course down the anterior thigh. How does it enter the popliteal fossa?
Via the adductor hiatus - a gap in the tendon of adductor magnus
What is the adductor canal?
the passageway through which the femoral artery travels from the apex of the femoral triangle to the adductor hiatus
What are the 2 systems of veins in the lower limb?
Superficial and deep
What do all the veins in the lower limb ultimately drain back towards?
The femoral vein
What does the femoral vein continue proximally as?
The external iliac vein
What vein accompanies profunda femoris? What does this vein drain into?
Profunda femoris vein - drains into the femoral vein
What tributary does the femoral vein receive in the femoral triange?
The great saphenous vein
Where does the great saphenous vein travel from?
The great saphenous vein is a major superficial vein that travels from the medial side of the ankle, all the way up the medial side of the leg and thigh and into the femoral vein
What must the great saphenous vein travel through to reach the femoral vein?
a defect in the fascia lata that overlies the femoral triangle – the saphenous ring
What forms the roof of the femoral triange?
The fascia lata, subcutaneous tissue and skin
What are the boundaries of the femoral triangle?
the inguinal ligament superiorly, the medial border of sartorius laterally and the lateral border of adductor longus medially
Where can the femoral artery be palpated?
Midway between the ASIS and pubic tubercle
What does the superficial location of the femoral vessels mean?
- Easy for clinical access
- Vulnerable to injury
Within the femoral triange, what are the femoral artery and vein enclosed in?
A fascial tunnel called the femoral sheath
What is the femoral sheath subdivided into?
3 compartments; lateral, intermediate and medial
What does the lateral compartment of the femoral sheath contain?
The femoral artery
What does the intermediate compartment of the femoral sheath contain?
Femoral vein