Lower Limb Anatomy Flashcards
What are the 2 superficial veins of the lower limbs?
Small Saphenous Vein
Great Saphenous Vein
Which superficial vein of the leg drains into the popliteal vein?
Small saphenous vein
Which superficial vein drains into the femoral vein?
Great saphenous vein
What are varicose veins?
Dilated superficial veins due to incompetent valves
What do all the deep veins of the lower limbs accompany?
Accompany all the major arteries in the limbs
Name the deep veins of the legs
External iliac vein Femoral vein Popliteal vein Posterior tibial vein Anterior tibial vein
What are the 2 categories of lymphatic vessels in the lower limb?
Superficial and deep
Where do the lymphatic vessels accompanying the great saphenous vein drain into?
Superficial inguinal lymph nodes
Where do the lymphatic vessels accompanying the small saphenous vein drain into?
Popliteal lymph nodes
What type of joint is the hip joint?
Synovial ball and socket joint
Why is the hip joint more stable than the shoulder joint?
Because the ball of the hip is almost entirely surrounded by the socket of the pelvis
What are the 3 groups of lymph nodes draining the lower limbs?
Superficial inguinal
Deep inguinal
Popliteal lymph nodes
What is a dermatome?
Area of skin supplied by a single spinal nerve
Which dermatome covers the medial knee?
L3
Which dermatome covers the little toe?
S1
Which dermatome covers the sole of the food?
S1
Which dermatome covers the popliteal area of the back of the leg?
S2
Which dermatome covers the anterior upper thigh?
L2
What makes up the hip joint?
Femur head
Pelvic acetabulum
What is the acetabular labrum?
Fibocartilagenus collar
What is the function of the acetabular labrum?
Deepen the acetabulum to stabilise the joint
What are the 3 main ligaments of the hip joint?
Iliofemoral ligament
Ischiofemoral ligament
Pubofemoral ligament
Which hip ligament prevents hyperextension of the hip joint
Iliofemoral ligament
Which hip ligament prevents hyperabduction of the hip joint?
Pubofemoral ligament
What are the movements at the hip joint?
Flexion Extension Abduction Adduction Lateral (external) rotation Medial (internal) rotation
Name the 4 flexor muscles of the hip?
Psoas Major M.
Iliacus M.
Pectineus M.
Sartorius M.
Which 2 hip flexors arise from the inner pelvic and posterior abdominal walls?
Psoas major
Iliacus
What is the iliopsoas
Combined muscle of the psoas major and the iliacus
These muscles are separate in the abdomen
But conjoin in the thigh
What is the common insertion of the iliopsoas muscle
Lesser trochanter of the femur
Which muscles extend the hip joint?
Gluteus maximus Semimembranosus Semitendinosus Biceps femoris Posterior part adductor magnus
Which muscle is the chief flexor of the hip?
Iliopsoas
Which muscle is the main extensor of the hip joint?
Gluteus maximus
Where are the adductor muscles of the thigh located?
In the medial compartment of the thigh
Name the 5 hip adductor muscles (muscles that adduct the thigh at the hip joint)
Adductor longus Adductor brevis Adductor magnus Gracilis Obturator externus
Which nerve generally supplies the adductor compartment?
Obturator nerve
Where does the obturator nerve exit the pelvis?
Obturator canal which passes through the obturator foramen
What are the nerve roots of the obturator nerve
L2-L4
What is the action of the adductor longus?
Adduction thigh at hip
What is the action of the Adductor magnus
Adduction thigh at hip
What is the action of the adductor brevis
Adduction thigh at hip
What is the action of the obturator externus muscle
Adduction thigh at hip
Lateral rotation hip
Are the abductors of the hip located in the lateral compartment of the thigh?
No there is no such thing as the lateral or abductor compartment of the thigh like there is for the adductors
Name the hip abductors
Gluteus medius
Gluteus minimus
Tensor fascia latae
Piriformis
What is the attachment of the deep gluteal muscles?
Greater trochanter of the femur
Where do lateral (external) rotators of the hip cross the joint?
On the posterior surface of the joint
Where do the median (internal) rotator of the hip cross the joint?
Anterior surface of the joint
Name the 6 lateral (external) rotators of the hip
Piriformis Obturator internus Obturator externus Gemelli (superior and inferior) Quadratus femoris
What is the action of the piriformis muscle?
External/lateral rotator of the hip
Abduction of hip
What is the action of the obturator internus muscle
External/lateral rotation of the hip
What is the action of the superior and inferior gemelli muscles?
Lateral rotation of the thigh/hip
What is the action of the obturator externus muscle
Lateral/external rotation of thigh at the hip
Adduction at the hip
Name the 3 medial (internal) rotators of the hip
Gluteus medius
Gluteus minimus
Tensor fascia latae
What is the action of the gluteus maximus
Extension thigh at hip joint
Action of the gluteus medius
Abduction
and
Medial rotation of hip
Action of the gluteus minimus
Abduction and medial rotation at hip
Action of the tensor fascia latae
Abduction and medial (external) rotation at hip
Which muscles also contribute to medial rotation of the thigh WHEN THE KNEE IS FLEXED!
Hamstring muscles
Biceps femoris
Semitendinosus
Semimembranosus
What 3 compartments are the muscles of the anterior thigh organised into?
Anterior/quadriceps/extensors of the knee
Medial/adductors (hip)
Posterior/hamstrings/flexors of the knee
How many heads does the quadriceps femoris have?
4 heads
Which compartment of the leg is the quadriceps femoris the main bulk of?
Anterior thigh region
What are the 4 heads of the quadriceps femoris
Vastus lateralis
Vastus intermedius
Vastus Medialis
Rectus femoris
Which nerve innervates the anterior thigh muscles?
Femoral nerve
What is special about the rectus femoris head of the quadriceps femoris?
Only muscle to cross both the hip and the knee joint
What is the action of the rectus femoris?
Extends the hip
Flexes the knee
What do the 4 parts of the quadriceps unite to form?
Quadriceps tendon
To which part of the tibia does the patellar ligament attach?
Tibial tuberosity
What does the quadriceps tendon continue as distal to the patella?
Patellar ligament
What is the action of the vastus medialis, lateralis and intermedius
Extension of the knee
On which joint does the sartorius muscle act on?
Hip and Knee
Which is the long ribbon like muscle of the leg
Sartorius
What are the 3 actions of the sartorius on the hip joint
Flexion
Abduction
Lateral rotation
What is the action of the Sartorius on the knee
Flexion
On which surface does the sartorius muscle cross the hip
Anterior
As it flexes
On which surface does the sartorius muscle cross the knee joint
Posterior
As it extends
Which nerve innervates the medial thigh muscles?
Obturator nerve
Through which bony foramen does the nerve that innervates the medial thigh muscles enter the thigh?
Obturator foramen
What is adductor hiatus a passageway between
The adductor magnus and the femur
Which structures pass through the adductor hiatus?
Femoral artery
Femoral vein
Femoral artery is a continuation of which artery?
External iliac artery
When does the external iliac artery become the femoral artery
As it passes under the inguinal ligament
What surface features can be used to locate the femoral artery
Pubic symphysis
Anterior superior iliac spine
Name the large branch of the femoral artery which passes posterior towards the hamstrings
Popliteal artery
The femoral vein is the continuation of which vein?
Popliteal vein
The femoral vein crosses under the inguinal ligament to continue as which larger vein?
External iliac vein
Which 2 important veins drain into the femoral triangle?
Profunda femoris vein
Great saphenous
What is cannulation of the femoral vein used for in practice?
Right cardiac angiography
Which nerve is the largest branch of the lumbar plexus
Femoral nerve
How does the femoral nerve pass to the inguinal ligament?
Deep
Name the structures of the femoral triangle lateral to medial
Nerve
Artery
Vein
Which muscles are supplied by the femoral nerve
Pectineus
Iliacus
Sartorius
Quadriceps Femoris
What is the femoral triangle?
Triangular depression below the inguinal ligament
What is the medial border of the femoral triangle
Medial border border of adductor longus
What is the lateral borders of the femoral triangle
Medial border of Sartorius muscle
Which structure forms the base/roof of the femoral triangle?
Inguinal ligament
What are the 3 major contents of the femoral triangle?
Femoral nerve
Femoral artery
Femoral vein
What is the femoral sheath
Funnel shaped fascial tube
What are the contents of the femoral canal
Lymphatic vessels