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The biceps femoris is a muscle in the thigh that is responsible for movement at the hip and knee joints. It is one of three muscles that make up the hamstring muscle group, the others being the semimembranosus and semitendinosus. The biceps femoris has two heads, a short head and a long head, that originate from different locations but share the same insertion site. The long head is considered part of the hamstring muscle group, while the short head is sometimes excluded from this characterisation as it only causes knee flexion and is activated by a separate nerve. The biceps femoris is a vital muscle for walking, running, bending the knees and extending the legs, and is susceptible to injury during sports that require quick stops and starts, such as soccer and football.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Muscle type | Skeletal |
| Muscle group | Hamstrings |
| Muscle heads | 2 (long and short) |
| Muscle function | Flexes the knee, extends the thigh at the hip, and rotates the lower leg from side-to-side |
| Innervation | Long head: tibial portion of the sacral nerve (L5-S2) Short head: common fibular or peroneal division of the sacral nerve (L5-S2) |
| Blood supply | Inferior gluteal artery, popliteal artery, perforating branches of the profunda femoris artery, and medial circumflex femoral artery |
| Tendon | Biceps femoris tendon |
| Ligament | Lateral collateral ligament |
| Insertion | Lateral aspect of the head of the fibula (outer lower leg bone) |
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What You'll Learn
- The biceps femoris is a long muscle in the posterior compartment of the thigh
- It is made up of two heads: a long head and a short head
- The biceps femoris is part of the hamstring muscle group
- The long head is considered part of the hamstring, while the short head is sometimes excluded
- The biceps femoris is responsible for movement at the hip and knee joints
The biceps femoris is a long muscle in the posterior compartment of the thigh
The two heads of the biceps femoris originate from different locations but share the same insertion site. The long head originates from the ischial tuberosity, while the short head originates at the linea aspera of the femur (thighbone). The ischial tuberosity is a rounded portion of the ischium, or part of the pelvic bone. Comparatively, the linea aspera of the femur is a lip or ridge at the posterior shaft of the femur. The biceps femoris tendon then joins with the lateral collateral ligament to insert at the lateral aspect of the head of the fibula (outer lower leg bone).
The biceps femoris is responsible for movement at both the hip and knee joints. At the hip, the long head of the biceps femoris allows for thigh extension and external rotation. At the knee, the biceps femoris allows for knee flexion and lower leg external rotation. The biceps femoris muscle also stabilizes the pelvis. The primary function of both heads of the biceps femoris muscle is to flex the knee joint. The biceps femoris is commonly injured during sprinting due to overstretching of the muscle.
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It is made up of two heads: a long head and a short head
The biceps femoris muscle is a long muscle in the posterior compartment of the thigh. It is one of the three muscles that make up the hamstring muscle group, the others being the semimembranosus and semitendinosus muscles. The biceps femoris is unique among the hamstring muscles as it has two heads: a long head and a short head. These heads have different origins but share a common insertion site. The long head is considered part of the hamstring muscle group, while the short head is sometimes excluded from this characterisation as it only causes knee flexion and is activated by a separate nerve.
The long head of the biceps femoris originates from the ischial tuberosity, which is a rounded portion of the ischium, or part of the pelvic bone. It shares a common tendon origin with the semitendinosus muscle and the lower part of the sacrotuberous ligament. The short head, on the other hand, originates from the linea aspera of the femur (thighbone) and the supracondylar ridge of the femur.
The long head is located medially, while the short head is located laterally. The short head is deep to the long head, meaning that the long head would cover most of the short head if viewed together. The fibres of the long head form a fusiform belly, which passes obliquely downward and lateralward across the sciatic nerve to end in an aponeurosis that covers the posterior surface of the muscle. The muscle fibres from the short head join this aponeurotic sheet, forming the common tendon that inserts into the lateral aspect of the head of the fibula.
The biceps femoris tendon joins with the lateral collateral ligament to insert into the fibula. At its insertion, the tendon divides into two portions, which embrace the fibular collateral ligament of the knee joint. This joining of tendons is commonly referred to as the conjoined tendon of the knee. The biceps femoris muscle is supplied by the terminal branches of the sciatic nerve, with the long head receiving innervation from its tibial division and the short head from the common fibular division.
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The biceps femoris is part of the hamstring muscle group
The biceps femoris is a muscle in the thigh, located at the back or posterior aspect of the thigh. It is one of the three muscles that make up the hamstring muscle group. The other two hamstring muscles are the semitendinosus and semimembranosus muscles. The biceps femoris is unique among the hamstring muscles as it has two heads, a long head and a short head. These two muscle heads work together to contribute to the functions of the biceps femoris.
The long head of the biceps femoris muscle is located medially, while the short head is located laterally. The muscle is located superficially in the posterior part of the thigh, with the semitendinosus and semimembranosus muscles positioned medially to it. The biceps femoris muscle runs along the lateral side of the thigh and can be easily felt on the back of the leg when the knee is flexed. The long head of the biceps femoris crosses both the hip and knee joints, allowing it to participate in movements at both joints.
The two heads of the biceps femoris originate from different locations but share the same insertion site. The long head originates from the ischial tuberosity, while the short head originates at the linea aspera of the femur or thigh bone. At the insertion site, the biceps femoris tendon joins with the lateral collateral ligament to insert at the lateral aspect of the head of the fibula or the outer lower leg bone.
The biceps femoris is commonly injured during sprinting and running due to abrupt changes in speed and the eccentric contractions of the muscle. The muscle is susceptible to partial tears and complete tears, with partial tears being more common. The biceps femoris muscle is important for movement at both the hip and knee joints, allowing for thigh extension, knee flexion, and external rotation of the hip and leg.
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The long head is considered part of the hamstring, while the short head is sometimes excluded
The biceps femoris muscle is located in the posterior compartment of the thigh. It is one of the three muscles that make up the hamstring muscle group. The other two hamstring muscles are the semimembranosus and semitendinosus muscles. The biceps femoris is unique in that it has two heads: a long head and a short head. These two muscle heads work together to contribute to the functions of the biceps femoris.
The long head of the biceps femoris muscle is located medially, while the short head is located laterally. The muscle is located superficially in the posterior part of the thigh, with the semimembranosus and semitendinosus muscles positioned medially to it. The biceps femoris muscle runs along the lateral side of the thigh and can be easily felt on the back of the leg when the knee is flexed. The long head of the biceps femoris muscle crosses both the hip and knee joints, allowing it to participate in movements at both joints.
The two heads of the biceps femoris originate from different locations but share the same insertion site. The long head originates at the ischial tuberosity, while the short head originates at the linea aspera of the femur (thighbone). At the insertion site, the tendon of the biceps femoris muscle is divided by the fibular collateral ligament of the knee (also known as the lateral collateral ligament). The biceps femoris tendon then joins with the lateral collateral ligament to insert at the lateral aspect of the head of the fibula (the outer lower leg bone).
The long head is considered part of the hamstring muscle group, while the short head is sometimes excluded from this characterization. This is because the short head only causes knee flexion and is activated by a separate nerve—the peroneal, as opposed to the tibial branch of the sciatic nerve, which activates the long head. Additionally, the long head originates in the pelvis and is involved in hip extension, while the short head does not contribute to hip extension.
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The biceps femoris is responsible for movement at the hip and knee joints
The biceps femoris is a muscle in the posterior compartment of the thigh. It is one of the three muscles that make up the hamstring muscle group, the others being the semimembranosus and semitendinosus muscles. The biceps femoris is unique among the hamstring muscles as it has two heads, a long head and a short head, that originate from different locations but share the same insertion site.
The long head of the biceps femoris is considered part of the hamstring muscle group, while the short head is sometimes excluded from this characterisation as it only causes knee flexion and is activated by a separate nerve. The long head arises from the ischial tuberosity, which is a rounded portion of the pelvic bone, and the short head originates at the linea aspera of the femur (thighbone).
The biceps femoris crosses two joints: the hip joint and the knee joint. At the hip, the long head of the biceps femoris allows for thigh extension and external rotation. At the knee, the biceps femoris allows for knee flexion and lower leg external rotation. The biceps femoris muscle also stabilises the pelvis.
The biceps femoris is the most commonly injured hamstring muscle, accounting for more than 80% of all injuries. This is because it has two heads, which makes it more prone to acute injuries. Partial tears are more common than complete tears.
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Frequently asked questions
The biceps femoris is a muscle of the thigh located to the posterior, or back. It is one of the three muscles that form the hamstring muscle group.
The biceps femoris muscle is responsible for movement at both the hip and knee joints. At the hip, the long head of the biceps femoris allows for thigh extension and external rotation. At the knee, the biceps femoris allows for knee flexion and lower leg external rotation.
The biceps femoris muscle has two heads: a short head and a long head. These two heads originate from different locations but share the same insertion site.
