Lecture 27 - Lower Limb 2 Flashcards
What is the name for a muscle that crosses two joints?
Biarticulate
What is a compartment syndrome?
Increased pressure in a fascial compartment
- Cut off veins –> pooling of venous return
- Cut off arteries –> ischemia, avascular necrosis
- cut of nerve supply –> motor and sensory loss
Treatment:
Fasciotomy to decrease the intra-fascial pressure
What are the muscle compartments in the thigh?
Anterior
Posterior
Medial
Lateral
Which muscles are in each compartment of the thigh?
Anterior: quadriceps
Posterior: hamstrings
Medial: adductors
Lateral: gluteal
What are the compartments in the leg (lower leg)
Anterior
Lateral
Posterior
- superficial
- deep
What connects the tibia and fibula?
What is its function?
Interosseus membrane
Space for muscle attachment
What is the quadriceps made up of?
4 powerful muscles:
- Rectus femoris
- Vastus muscles
- medialis
- lateralis
- intermedius
Which movement do the Vastus muscles produce?
Extension of the knee
Eg in the stride phase of walking
What is significant about the hamstring muscles?
Cross two joints
– prone to strain when acting at both joints at once
Eg. Sprinter coming out of the blocks, the hamstrings are not long enough and strain occurs
Where is the origin of the hamstrings?
Ischeum
Where do the adductor muscles attach?
Osteitis pubis
Groin pain is usually due to… ?
Strain of addutors
What movement do the muscles in the medial compartment of the the produce?
Adduction of the hip
What are the muscles in the gluteal compartment?
Gluteus maximus
Gluteus medius
Gluteus minimus
When is gluteus maximus engaged?
Only in powerful extension of hip
What is the role of gluteus medius and gluteus minimus?
Abduct the hip, but mainly
- keep hips stable during locomotion
Prevent pelvic tilt
What is the general name for the muscles in the anterior compartment of the leg?
Describe their attachments
Fibularis muscles
Originate on fibula
Insert on metatarsals
What are some of the important muscles in the superficial posterior compartment of the leg?
Gastrocnemius
Soleus
What are some of the deep muscles of the posterior compartment of the leg?
Flexor digitorum longus
Flexor hallicus longus
What is the role of the soleus?
- Posture
- Muscle pump
Describe the soleus’ role in posture
Centre of gravity in legs in leaning forward, the soleus is constantly contracting to pull the body back so that we don’t fall forward
Describe the soleus’ role in venous return
There are venous sinuses in the soleus
When it contracts, the blood is shunted up the leg
Draw the compartments of the leg
See slide 11, lecture 27
The tendon of which muscle makes up the Achilles’ tendon?
Gastrocnemius and soleus
When is the Achilles’ tendon prone to sprain?
Very strong, however …
Prone to sprain during powerful plantar flexion, ie when running
When and why is the gastrocnemius prone to injury?
It is a two joint muscle:
Origin: lateral and medial condyles of femur
Insertion: calcaneus (heel bone)
Give examples of muscles of the lower limb working concentrically and eccentrically
Concentric:
- gastrocnemius and hamstrings at toe off
Eccentic:
- tibialis anterior at heel strike
- hamstrings in swing phase
What is active insufficiency?
The inability of a biarticulate muscle to contract properly because it is not stretched enough
- Two joints active at same time
- Strain of muscle
