Section 2: Lower Limb Muscles

Question 1

What are the muscles that flex and extend the thigh in the anterior group?

Answer 1

Anterior:
The iliopsoas muscle flexes the thigh

Question 2

What are the muscles that flex and extend the thigh in the posterior group?

Answer 2

The muscles of the gluteal region extend the thigh.

The three gluteal muscles are:
1. Gluteus maximus
2. Gluteus medius
3. Gluteus minimus

Question 3

What are the anterior muscles that move the leg?

Answer 3

The sartorius and quadriceps. They act together to extend the knee.

Question 4

What is the sartorius muscle?

Answer 4

• A muscle that makes up the anterior compartment of the thigh
• The sartorius crosses the hip and knee, acting to flex both these joints

Question 5

What are the quadriceps muscles?

Answer 5

• A muscle that makes up the anterior compartment of the thigh
• Solely act the knee, as they originate below the hip joint

The quadriceps femoris muscles come together to form the quadriceps tendon to insert on the patella (kneecap). The patella is connected to the tibia (tibial tuberosity) via the patellar ligament

Question 6

What are the medial muscles that move the leg?

Answer 6

• Adductors
• Move the thigh medially mostly
• A minor involvement in the movement of the leg by a single muscle component

Question 7

What are the posterior muscles that move the leg?

Answer 7

• The hamstring muscles make up the posterior compartment of the thigh
• together these muscles act to extend the hip and flex the knee

Question 8

What are the anterior muscles that move the foot and ankle?

Answer 8

• The tibialis anterior muscle extends the foot (dorsiflexion)

Question 9

What are the lateral muscles that move the foot and ankle?

Answer 9

• The peroneus (fibularis) longus muscle everts the foot

Question 10

What are the posterior muscles that move the foot and ankle?

Answer 10

• The posterior compartment muscles are those that flex the foot (plantar flexion)

The two largest muscles are:
- Gastrocnemius
- Soleus (immediately deep to gastrocnemius)

Question 11

Which muscles attach into the Achilles tendon?

Answer 11

Gastrocnemius and soleus

Question 12

What movement (function) will you lose if your Achilles tendon ruptures?

Answer 12

Loss of ankle plantar flexion, with the inability to push off the toes.

Question 13

Muscle(s) that move the ankle and the foot - posterior

Answer 13

Gastrocnemius and soleus

Question 14

Muscle(s) that move the leg - posterior

Answer 14

Hamstring muscles

Question 15

Muscle(s) that move the ankle and foot - anterior

Answer 15

Tibialis anterior

Question 16

Muscle(s) that move the thigh - posterior

Answer 16

Gluteus maximus and gluteus medius/minimus

Question 17

Muscle(s) that move the ankle and foot - lateral

Answer 17

Peroneus longus

Question 18

Muscle(s) that move the thigh - anterior

Answer 18

Iliopsoas

Question 19

Muscles that move the thigh - medial

Answer 19

Adductors

Question 20

Muscles that move the leg - anterior

Answer 20

Sartorius and quadriceps femoris

Question 21

What are the actions of the gastrocnemius and soleus?

Answer 21

Flexes the foot (plantar flexion)

Question 22

What are the actions of the hamstring muscles?

Answer 22

Extend the thigh, flex the knee

Question 23

What are the actions of the tibialis anterior?

Answer 23

Extends the foot (dorsiflexion)

Question 24

What are the functions of the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus?

Answer 24

Extend the thigh

Question 25

What are the functions of the peroneus longus?

Answer 25

Everts the foot

Question 26

What are the functions of the illiopsoas?

Answer 26

Flex the thigh

Question 27

What are the functions of the adductors?

Answer 27

Adducts the thigh