Lecture 12 - SQ

Question 1

1. What are the articular surfaces, capsular ligaments, and possible movements at the hip joint?

Answer 1

1) The hip joint is formed by the articular surface of the head of the femur and the articular
surface of the acetabulum. These surfaces are approximated by the following capsular
ligaments: iliofemoral ligament, ischiofemoral ligament, and the pubofemoral ligament. The
deep fibres of the capsule form a band or ring, which encircles the femoral neck. The hip joint
is a ball and socket joint that permits: flexion and extension, abduction and adduction, and
internal and external rotation of the femur occur.

Question 2

2. What type of joints are the sacroiliac joints?

Answer 2

2) They are synovial joints.

Question 3

3. What are the boundaries and contents of the femoral triangle?

Answer 3

3) The femoral triangle is bordered by the sartorius muscle laterally, the adductor longus muscle
medially and the inguinal ligament superiorly. Its major contents are the femoral vessels
(artery and vein) and the motor and cutaneous branches of the femoral nerve, plus lymphatics.

Question 4

4. What is the course of the femoral artery and femoral nerve in the thigh?

Answer 4

4) The femoral artery and nerve enter the thigh below the inguinal ligament at, or just medial, to
the midinguinal point (halfway between the anterior superior iliac spine and the pubic
symphysis). They then descend straight down the thigh, running deep to sartorius and through
the adductor canal.

Question 5

5. What are the attachments, nerve supply and actions of the anterior and medial thigh muscles?

Answer 5

5) The muscles of the anterior thigh are the quadriceps femoris and the sartorius muscle. The
sartorius and the rectus femoris attach proximally to the ASIS and AIIS, respectively. The rest
of the quadriceps femoris arise from the anterior medial and lateral surfaces of the femur. The
sartorius attaches distally to the medial side of the proximal end of the tibia. The quadriceps
bellies join to form the quadriceps’ tendon, which attaches to the patella. The primary function
of the quadriceps is to extend the knee (leg). The sartorius muscle assists movements of both
the knee and the hip joints. All muscles of the anterior compartment of the thigh are
innervated by the femoral nerve, L2 - L4.

The muscles of the medial compartment of the thigh are pectineus, obturator externus, gracilis,
adductor longus, adductor brevis and adductor magnus. These muscles all attach proximally to
the pelvis along the ischiopubic ramus, and distally to the posterior surface (linea aspera) of
the femur, except for the gracilis, which attaches distally to the medial side of the proximal
end of the tibia. These muscles function primarily as strong adductors of the thigh with the
following exceptions: 1) the obturator externus assists as a lateral rotator of the thigh; 2) the
posterior fibres of the adductor magnus assist in extension of the thigh. All muscles of this
compartment are innervated by the obturator nerve (L2 - L4).

Question 6

6. What muscles flex the thigh? What muscles adduct the thigh? What muscles medially rotate
   the thigh?

Answer 6

6) FLEXORS:
- tensor fasciae latae
- iliopsoas (psoas + iliacus)
- sartorius
- rectus femoris
- pectineus

ADDUCTORS:

• gracilis
• pectineus
• adductor longus
• adductor brevis
• adductor magnus

MEDIAL ROTATORS:

• tensor fasciae latae
• gluteus medius and minimus