Muscles: Lower Limb

Question 1

1. What bones articulate at the hip joint/type of joint
2. What movements are possible?

Answer 1

1. The head of the femur articulates with the acetabulm of the pelvic at a ball and socket synovial joint (mutli-axial)
2. Allows movements: flexion, extension, adbuction, adduction, medial and lateral rotation

Question 2

1. What are the muscles of the iliac region and
2. Where do they arise from?

Answer 2

1. Iliopsoas muscle (name given to 2 separate muscles)
   * Iliacus
   * Psoas major
2. The iliacus arises from the ilium
   * The psoas major muscle arises from lumbar vertebrae

They share the same distal attachment to the femur

Question 3

1. What is the gluteus maximus muscle?
2. What movements does it allow

Answer 3

1. The large superficial muscle of the gluteal region
2. Primarily an extensor and lateral rotator
   important in extensor movements of hip joint which counteract the effects of the force of gravity i.e. in standing from sitting position

Question 4

What are the 3 compartments of the thigh and what are they named according to?

Answer 4

• Anterior: extensor
• Posterior: flexor
• Medial: adductor

Adductor medial compartment has a common origin to the pubis and acts to adduct the femur at the hip joint

Question 5

1. What muscle runs proximal from the hip joint before reaching the patella?
2. What can this muscle do to the hip that the others cant

Answer 5

1. Rectus femoris
2. As it crosses the hip joint it can assist the iliopsoas in the flexion of the hip

Question 6

1. How many muscles are in the posterior compartment of the thigh?
2. Where do they run from?
3. What movements do they support?

Answer 6

3 muscles in the hamstring group:
* Biceps femoris (most lateral)
* Semitendinosus (medial and superficial to the semimembranosus)
* Semimembranosus (flat and medial, deeper than semitendinosus)

2. They run between the ischium of hip bone to the tibia or fibula distally.
3. As they cross the knee and hip joint, they flex the knee and extend the hip joint

Question 7

What are the muscles in the anterior and posterior compartment of the leg?

Answer 7

Anterior:
* Tibialis anterior (along lateral surface of tibia - strongest dorsiflexor of the foot)
Posterior:
* Gastrocnemius (calf, most superficial)
* Soleus (flat muscle under gastrocnemius)

Question 8

Where do the superficial muscles of the posterior compartment of the leg insert and what nerve innervates them?

Answer 8

• The calcaneus of the foot via calcaneal tendon (achilles)
• Tibial nerve

Question 9

Label the posterior muscles of the leg

Answer 9