General Introduction of Lower Extremity

Question 0

What are the 4 regions of the lower limb?

What are their borders?

Answer 0

Gluteal region–Iliac crest to gluteal fold.
Thigh–Inguinal ligament to the knee joint.
Leg–Knee to ankle joint.
Foot–distal to ankle joint.

Question 1

What is the joint that anchors the lower extremity to the axial skeleton?
What is given up in order to have stability?

Answer 1

Sacro-iliac joint

Mobility for stability.

Question 2

What vessels travel through the femoral triangle?
What is palpable in the femoral triangle?
What is significant if the lymph nodes are swollen?

Answer 2

Femoral Artery
Femoral Vein
Femoral Nerve
Lymph nodes.

A pulse.

Swollen lymph nodes are not normal, usually means there is something very wrong.

Question 3

Where is the Popliteal fossa?

Answer 3

Posterior to knee joint. Diamond-shaped region.

Question 4

What 3 things do the femur articulate with?
What sits between and connects the Tibia and Fibula?
What bones make up the foot?

Answer 4

Acetabulum.
Tibia.
Patella.

Interosseus Membrane

Tarsals and Metatarsals and Phalanges.

Question 5

Name the Tarsal Bones. (Use mnemonic)

Answer 5

Tiger Cubs Need MILC.

Talus
Calcaneus
Navicular
Medial Cuneiform
Intermediate Cuneiform
Lateral Cuneiform
Cuboid

Question 6

Name the 3 arches of the foot.

Answer 6

Medial arch (highest arch)
Lateral arch
Transverse arch through Metatarsals

Question 7

What are the 3 actions of the gluteal region?

Answer 7

Extensors.
Rotators.
Abductors.

Question 8

What joints do the following act on Medial, anterior, and posterior compartments of the thigh?

Answer 8

Medial–act on hip joint.
Anterior–extends the knee
Posterior–act on hip (extension) and knee (flexion)

Question 9

Name the 4 major entry and exit points between the lower limb and the abdomen, pelvis, and perineum.

Answer 9

Gap between the inguinal ligament and pelvic bone.
Greater sciatic foramen.
Lesser sciatic foramen.
Obturator canal (at top of obturator foramen)

Question 10

What structures pass from the abdomen to the lower limb through the gap between the pelvic bone and inguinal ligament.

Answer 10

Muscles–Psoas major, Iliacus, and Pectineus
Nerves–Femoral and femoral branch of the genitofemoral nerves, and the lateral cutaneous nerve of the thigh.
Vessels–femoral artery and vein.
Lyphatics

Question 11

What travels through the Greater Sciatic Foramen?

Answer 11

Muscle–Piriformis
Nerves–Sciatic, superior and inferior gluteal, and pudendal nerves
Vessels–superior and inferior gluteal arteries and veins, and internal pudendal artery.

Question 12

What passes through the obturator canal?

Answer 12

Obturator Nerve and vessels

Question 13

The lumbar and sacral plexuses…What spinal segments make up each plexus?
Which segments travel to the lower limb? to the perineum?

Answer 13

Lumbar Plexus L1–L3 and most of L4
Sacral Plexus L4 – S5

L1-S3 To lower limb.
S4 and S5 to perineum.

Question 14

Myotomes of the lumbar and sacral plexuses are…

Answer 14

L1-L2 Hip flexion.
L3-L4 Knee extension.
L5-S2 Knee flexion.
S1-S2 Plantarflexion.
S2-S3 Add. of digits.

Question 15

In an unconscious patient, what spinal levels can be tested?

Answer 15

Tendon reflexes of…
Patellar ligament–L3 L4
Calcaneal tendon posterior to ankle (tendon of gastrocnemius and soleus) S1 S2.

Question 16

Large muscles in the gluteal region are innervated by…

Answer 16

Superior and Inferior gluteal nerves.

Question 17

Most muscles in the anterior compartment of thigh are innervated by….
What muscles is the exception? What is it innervated by?

Answer 17

Femoral Nerve.

Tensor fascia lata…Superior gluteal nerve.

Question 18

Most muscles in the medial compartment are innervated by the ….
What are the 2 exceptions?
Why?

Answer 18

Obturator Nerve.

Pectineus…Femoral N.
Hamstring Part of the Adductor Magnus…Sciatic N.

Question 19

Most muscles of the posterior compartment of the thigh are innervated by…

Answer 19

Sciatic Nerve.