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The hamstring muscle group is comprised of three muscles: the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus. These muscles are skeletal muscles that run down the back of the thigh and help control the hips and knees. They originate from the ischial tuberosity of the pelvis, or sit bones, and attach to different points on the lower leg. The hamstrings play an important role in the gait cycle during walking, including the absorption of kinetic energy and protection of the knee and hip joints. They are also essential for other movements such as standing, running, jumping, and climbing stairs. Due to their involvement in various physical activities, hamstring injuries are common, especially among athletes who participate in sports that require sprinting or deep squatting positions.
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What You'll Learn
- The biceps femoris attaches to the inner side of the sit bones
- The semitendinosus attaches to the medial side of the sit bones
- The semimembranosus attaches to the outer side of the sit bones
- The long head of the biceps femoris attaches to the lower leg
- The short head of the biceps femoris attaches to the femur
The biceps femoris attaches to the inner side of the sit bones
The hamstring muscles are three large muscles that run down the back of the thigh and help control the hips and knees. They are essential for standing, walking, running, and other movements. The three hamstring muscles are the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus.
The biceps femoris is a muscle of the thigh located to the posterior, or back. It consists of two heads: the long head and the short head. The long head of the biceps femoris attaches to the inner side of the sit bones, while the short head attaches to the femur (thigh bone) in three places closer to the knee than the hip. Both heads attach to the lower leg at the head of the fibula (calf bone), the outer (lateral) condyle of the tibia (shin bone), and the fascia (connective tissue) of the leg.
The biceps femoris is involved in pulling the leg backward, extending the hip joint, bending the knee, and rotating the lower leg from side to side. It is also more vulnerable to injury and muscle tears than other hamstrings, especially during sprinting, where abrupt changes in speed cause overstretching of the muscle.
The semitendinosus is a long hamstring muscle in the middle of the back of the thigh. It attaches to the medial (inner) side of the sit bones and runs down the middle of the thigh, crossing to the inside of the knee and attaching to the tibia (shinbone). The semimembranosus is a broad muscle that originates on the outer side of the sit bones, higher than the other hamstrings, and attaches to the shin on the medial (inner) side.
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The semitendinosus attaches to the medial side of the sit bones
The semitendinosus is a long, superficial muscle in the back of the thigh. It is one of three hamstring muscles, along with the biceps femoris and semimembranosus. The semitendinosus is attached to the medial (inner) side of the sit bones (also known as the ischial tuberosities) and runs down the middle of the back of the thigh.
The semitendinosus has a very long tendon of insertion, which ends just below the middle of the thigh in a long, round tendon that lies along the medial side of the popliteal fossa. It then curves around the medial condyle of the tibia (shinbone) and passes over the medial collateral ligament of the knee joint. The tendon is separated from the ligament by a bursa, a small fluid-filled sac that acts as a cushion.
The semitendinosus is involved in extending and rotating the hip, as well as bending and internally rotating the knee. It is also responsible for stabilising the pelvis and counteracting forward bending at the hips. This muscle is innervated by the tibial division of the sciatic nerve and supplied by branches from three large arterial sources: the femoral artery, the internal iliac artery, and the popliteal artery.
Injuries to the semitendinosus muscle can range from mild strains to more severe tears. These injuries can occur due to sudden movements, overstretching, or overuse of the muscle, especially in athletes who participate in sports involving running, jumping, or sudden changes in direction. Physical examination is important for assessing the semitendinosus muscle, including manual muscle testing and range of motion testing.
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The semimembranosus attaches to the outer side of the sit bones
The hamstring muscles are skeletal muscles that run down the back of the thigh. They are essential for standing, walking, running, and other movements. The three hamstring muscles are the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus.
The semimembranosus is a broad muscle that is tucked away. It is one of four posterior thigh muscles that are responsible for extending the hip. The other three muscles in this group are the semitendinosus, biceps femoris, and gluteus maximus. The semimembranosus is located deeper than the semitendinosus, more superficial than the adductor magnus, and medial to the biceps femoris.
The semimembranosus originates at the outer side of the sit bones, higher than the other hamstrings. The sit bones, or ischial tuberosities, are little knobs of bone on the bottom of the pelvis that can be felt when sitting down. The semimembranosus attaches to the shin on the back and side of the medial (inner) tibial condyle. The tendon of the semimembranosus appears at the level of the mid-thigh and continues down toward the point of insertion at the medial condyle of the tibia.
The semimembranosus is responsible for multiple movements about the hip and knee joints. It works in conjunction with the other hamstring muscles to carry out its function. The muscle is innervated by the L5, S1, and S2 nerve roots, which access the muscle through the tibial division of the sciatic nerve. The femoral and popliteal arteries give off deep perforating branches that supply the semimembranosus muscle. Occasionally, the inferior gluteal artery supplies the proximal part of the muscle.
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The long head of the biceps femoris attaches to the lower leg
The hamstring muscles are skeletal muscles located at the back of the thigh. They are essential for performing various leg movements, including walking, climbing stairs, running, jumping, and squatting. The hamstring muscle group includes three large muscles: the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus.
The biceps femoris muscle is the lateral (outer) muscle of the hamstring group and consists of two heads: the long head and the short head. 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 has different functions and nerve activation.
The long head of the biceps femoris originates from the upper part of the ischial tuberosity, which is a sit bone located at the bottom of the pelvis. It shares a tendon with the semitendinosus muscle, another hamstring muscle. From there, the long head reaches over the posterior surface of the ischial tuberosity to attach to the sacrotuberous ligament.
At the lower leg, the long head of the biceps femoris attaches to the head of the fibula (calf bone), the lateral condyle of the tibia (shin bone), and the fascia (connective tissue) of the leg. This attachment allows the biceps femoris to perform functions such as extending the hip joint and bending the knee, as well as rotating the lower leg from side to side.
The biceps femoris is particularly vulnerable to injury and muscle tears, especially during sports that involve explosive bending of the knee, such as sprinting. To prevent hamstring injuries, it is important to stretch, warm up, and pay attention to any pain in the hip, knee, and leg.
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The short head of the biceps femoris attaches to the femur
The hamstring muscles are three large muscles that run down the back of the thigh and help control the hips and knees. These muscles are the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus. They are used for standing, walking, running, and jumping, among other things.
The biceps femoris is the lateral (outer) muscle of the hamstring group. It consists of two heads: one long and one short. The long head of the biceps femoris attaches to the inner side of the sit bones (ischial tuberosity). The short head, on the other hand, attaches to the femur (thigh bone) in three places closer to the knee than the hip. The short head of the biceps femoris arises from the lateral lip of the linea aspera and the lateral supracondylar line of the femur. This origin lies medially to the vastus lateralis muscle and laterally to the adductor magnus muscle.
Both heads of the biceps femoris attach to the lower leg at the head of the fibula (calf bone), the outer (lateral) condyle of the tibia (shin bone), and the fascia (connective tissue) of the leg. The biceps femoris is responsible for pulling the leg backward, extending the hip joint, bending the knee, and rotating the lower leg from side to side. It is important to note that the short head of the biceps femoris only acts on the knee joint, while the long head acts on both the knee and the hip joints.
The biceps femoris is an important muscle for athletes, but it is also more vulnerable to injury and muscle tears than other hamstrings. Avulsion of the biceps femoris tendon is common in sports that require explosive bending of the knee, such as sprinting. Hamstring injuries can range from muscle fiber overstretch to partial or complete tears. To avoid hamstring injuries, it is important to stretch, warm up, and listen to your body's signals to avoid pushing through pain in the hip, knee, and leg.
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Frequently asked questions
The hamstring muscles are a group of three muscles that attach to the sit bones (ischial tuberosities) at the bottom of the pelvis.
The three muscles are the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus.
The hamstring muscles help with walking, running, jumping, and other leg movements such as climbing stairs and squatting. They also help to stabilise the knee joint.
A hamstring strain is when the muscle fibres are overstretched but not torn. This can cause mild pain and swelling but you will usually still be able to use your leg.
Hamstring injuries often occur when bones and muscles are growing at different rates, or when performing high-intensity sports such as sprinting, soccer, and basketball. To avoid hamstring injuries, it is important to stretch, warm up, and not push through pain in your hip, knee, and leg.
