Lower Limb - Actions

Question 1

What are the main actions of the sartorius?

Answer 1

Flexes, abducts and laterally rotates the thigh at the hip joint
Flexes the knee joint

Question 2

What are the main actions of the tensor fascia latae?

Answer 2

Abducts, medially rotates and flexes thigh at the hip
Assists in keeping the knee extended

Question 3

What muscles are mainly responsible for hip adduction?

Answer 3

Adductor Longus
Adductor Brevis
Adductor Magnus

Question 4

What muscles slightly help with hip adduction?

Answer 4

Gracialis
Pectineus

Question 5

Which muscle laterally rotates the thigh at the hips + helps steady the head of the femur in the acetabulum?

Answer 5

Obturator externus

Question 6

This muscle is a powerful hip adductor, but also helps to flex and medially rotate the thigh with its superior portion and extends and laterally rotates the thigh with the inferior portion. What is it?

Answer 6

Adductor Magnus

Question 7

This muscle helps adduct the thigh, flexes the leg at the knee and whilst the knee is flexed, enables medial rotation. What is it?

Answer 7

Gracialis.

Question 8

This muscle is a powerful hip extensor and laterally rotates the thigh at the hip joint. Its upper fibres can help abduct the thigh and the lower fibres adduct the thigh. What is it?

Answer 8

Gluteus maximus.

Question 9

Which muscle is important for hip extension when rising from a sitting position or climbing stairs?

Answer 9

Gluteus maximus.

Question 10

This muscle helps steady the pelvis on the leg while the opposite leg is raised.

Answer 10

Gluteus medius.

Question 11

This muscle is a strong abductor and medial rotator of the thigh at the hip joint. What is it?

Answer 11

Gluteus medius.

Question 12

This muscle helps stabilise the hip joint, abducts the flexed thigh at the hip and laterally rotates extended thigh. What is it? And where is it located?

Answer 12

Piriformis
Located inferiority to the gluteus minimus

Question 13

Both these muscles lay parallel to the obturator internus. They help steady the femoral head and laterally rotate the extended thigh at the hip and abduct the flexed thigh at the hip. What are they?

Answer 13

Superior gemellus
Inferior gemellus

Question 14

This muscle steadies the head of the femur in the acetabulum and laterally rotates the extended thigh at the hip joint, as well as abducts the flexed thigh at the hip. What is it?

Answer 14

Obturator internus.

Question 15

This muscle helps to rotate the thigh laterally. What is it?

Answer 15

Quadratus femoris.

Question 16

This muscle plantar flexes the foot at the ankle, flexes the leg at the knee and lifts the heel during walking. What is it?

Answer 16

Gastrocnemius

Question 17

This muscle is an important postural muscle, constantly active even during standing still, aiding in maintaining balance. It also plantar flexes the foot at the ankle. What is it?

Answer 17

Soleus.

Question 18

This muscle has a small role in assisting the gastrocnemius in plantar flexion of the foot at the ankle and flexion of the leg at the knee. What is it?

Answer 18

Plantaris

Question 19

This muscle flexes and medially rotates the leg at the knee. When the limb is supporting weight, it rotates the femur laterally on the tibia, unlocking the knee joint. What is it?

Answer 19

Popliteus.