Muscles of the lower extremity Flashcards
What is the difference between muscles of the lower extremity and the upper extremity.
Firstly, there is more strength and bulk in the lower than upper. There is also lesser movement in the lower. And the pelvis is fully supported by the skeleton while the shoulder girdle relies on surrounding soft tissues for stability and strength.
What are the muscles of the hip from the anterior view? (9 Muscles)
Adductor brevis, Adductor magnus, Adductor Longus, gracilis, rectus femoris, iliopsoas, sartorius, tensor fasciae latae.
What are the muscles of the hip from the posterior view?(12 muscles)
Gluteus maximus, minimus, medius, 6 lateral rotators and 3 hamstring muscles.
What does the iliopsoas muscle contain?What are its function?
It contains psoas major/minor and the iliacus muscle. Its function is external rotation and flexion of femur as well as flexion of spine and pelvis when pulling on the lumbar vertebrae.
Why is there lower back pain when you do abdominal exercises?
The iliopsoas muscle pulls on the lumber vertebrae during abdominal exercises and creates excessive lower back lordosis and pain if it is not counterbalanced with abdominal strength. The abdominal muscles will pull the pelvis upwards to flatten the back.
What is the function of the sartorius?
It is the longest muscle in the body and its function is to flex the hips and the knees as it crosses both the knee and hips.
Which muscles flexes the hips? State the other functions of the muscles stated.(If Any)
Rectus femoris(Also extends the knee), pectineus(Adduction, Externally rotates the hips), sartorius(Flexes the knees)
Which muscles adduct the hips? State the other functions of the muscles stated(If Any)
Adductor brevis, magnus, longus, pectineus, gracilis(Also flexes the knees)
What are the location and functions of the gluteus group?
The gluteus maximus extends and externally rotates the hips. The gluteus medius crosses the top of the hip joint and it abducts the hips. The gluteus minimus passes in front of the hip joint and internally rotates the femur.
What factor does the gluteus group lose effectiveness and how can you prevent it from happening?
Age. It can be trained in activities that require the transfer of weight from one leg to the other.
What is the most superior muscle of the lateral rotators of the femur? Why should we be aware of it?
The most superior muscle of our deep lateral rotators of the femur is the piriformis. The sciatic nerve may pass through or pass inferiorly to the piriformis, some individuals also experience sciatica, a condition where there’s irritation of the sciatic nerve that causes pain, tingling or weakness in the lower extremity.
