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The sartorius muscle is the longest muscle in the human body. It is a long, thin, superficial muscle that runs down the length of the thigh in the anterior compartment. The muscle is located in the anterior superior iliac spine and crosses the thigh towards the medial aspect of the knee. The sartorius muscle can move the hip joint and the knee joint, and its function is unique in that it can serve as both a hip and knee flexor.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Muscle length | Longest muscle in the human body |
| Muscle location | Anterior compartment of the thigh |
| Muscle type | Superficial muscle |
| Muscle shape | Long, thin, narrow, and flat |
| Muscle course | Oblique |
| Muscle origin | Anterior superior iliac spine |
| Muscle insertion | Proximal medial surface of the tibia |
| Muscle tendon | Pes anserinus tendon |
| Muscle function | Flexion, abduction, and lateral rotation of the hip and knee |
| Muscle innervation | Femoral nerve (L2–L4) |
| Muscle blood supply | Branches of the femoral artery |
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What You'll Learn
The sartorius muscle is the longest muscle in the human body
The sartorius muscle is unique in that it serves as both a hip and knee flexor. It can flex, abduct, and externally rotate the thigh, and flex and internally rotate the leg. This allows the leg to be moved into a figure-4 position, similar to how a tailor would position themselves while working. The muscle may be split into two parts, with one part inserted into the fascia lata, the femur, the ligament of the patella, or the tendon of the semitendinosus.
The sartorius muscle has an extensive vascular supply, receiving blood from several sources, including the femoral artery and its branches, the lateral circumflex femoral artery, and the descending genicular artery. The blood supply to the sartorius is crucial for its function, with over half of the blood supply coming from the muscular branches of the femoral artery. The sartorius muscle is innervated by the femoral nerve, which receives its nerve supply from L2, L3, and L4 nerve roots.
The sartorius muscle is susceptible to avulsion injuries, especially in young athletes, due to the weak point at the muscle-tendon-bone interface before ossification occurs. These injuries can occur during activities that involve sudden, forceful contractions of the sartorius, such as sprinting or swinging a bat. Chronic overuse of the sartorius can also lead to inflammation at the insertion point, known as pes anserine bursitis, which is commonly seen in male athletes in their fourth decade who participate in endurance sports.
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It is a superficial muscle that runs down the length of the thigh
The sartorius muscle is the longest muscle in the human body. It is a long, thin, superficial muscle that runs down the length of the thigh in the anterior compartment. The word "sartorius" is derived from the Latin word "sartor," which translates to "patcher" or "tailor," owing to how an individual in this profession positions their leg while working. The sartorius muscle originates from the anterior superior iliac spine, specifically from the anterior superior iliac spine's upper half notch, between the anterior superior iliac spine and the anterior inferior iliac spine. It runs obliquely across the upper and anterior part of the thigh in an inferomedial direction.
The sartorius muscle has an oblique course throughout the thigh, crossing from the lateral to the medial side. It passes behind the medial condyle of the femur and ends in a tendon. This tendon curves anteriorly to join the tendons of the gracilis and semitendinosus muscles in the pes anserinus, inserting into the superomedial surface of the tibia. The upper portion of the sartorius muscle forms the lateral border of the femoral triangle, with its medial edge completing this triangle. The structures within this triangle, such as the femoral artery, vein, and nerve, lie medial to the sartorius.
The sartorius muscle is a narrow, long muscle with parallel fibres that extend its entire length. It spirals obliquely down across the thigh, passing downwards on the fascial roof of the adductor canal. The muscle lies superficially in the thigh, with only fascia and skin covering it. Deep to the sartorius is the quadriceps femoris muscle. The muscle may be split into two parts, with one part inserted into the fascia lata, the femur, the ligament of the patella, or the tendon of the semitendinosus.
The sartorius muscle is involved in the flexion of the leg at the knee, hip flexion, abduction, and lateral rotation of the thigh. It can move both the hip and knee joints, although its actions are considered weak, making it a synergist muscle. At the hip, it can flex, weakly abduct, and laterally rotate the femur. At the knee, it can flex the leg and, when the knee is flexed, medially rotate the leg. Sitting cross-legged or in a figure-4 position demonstrates the muscle's actions.
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The muscle originates from the anterior superior iliac spine
The sartorius muscle is the longest muscle in the human body. It is a long, thin, superficial muscle that runs down the length of the thigh in the anterior compartment. The muscle originates from the anterior superior iliac spine, also known as the ASIS, and the upper half of the notch between the anterior superior iliac spine and the anterior inferior iliac spine. The sartorius muscle has a unique origin, sharing this origin with only one other muscle, the tensor fascia lata. The tensor fasciae latae muscle originates just lateral to the proximal attachment of the sartorius muscle.
The sartorius muscle has an extensive vascular supply due to its length. The proximal third of the muscle receives its blood supply from the branches of the femoral, deep femoral, lateral circumflex femoral arteries, and/or the artery of quadriceps. The middle third is supplied by branches of the femoral artery, while the distal third receives blood from the femoral artery and descending genicular artery. The sartorius muscle is innervated by the femoral nerve, which receives its nerve supply from L2, L3, and L4 nerve roots.
The sartorius muscle has long parallel fibres that extend for its entire length. These fibres form a thin, flat muscle that runs obliquely from lateral to medial down the thigh, in the same direction as the inguinal ligament and the fibres of the external oblique muscles. The muscle crosses the thigh obliquely, passing behind the medial condyle of the femur, and inserts into the tibia. Specifically, the tendon of the sartorius muscle inserts into the superomedial surface of the tibia, just below and posterior to the attachment sites of the gracilis and semitendinosus muscles. This grouping of muscular attachments is known as the pes anserine or pes anserinus.
The sartorius muscle is associated with several injuries and conditions. Young athletes are particularly susceptible to ASIS avulsion injuries through the physis, which can occur during activities such as sprinting or swinging a bat. Chronic overuse of the sartorius muscle, along with the gracilis and semitendinosus, can also lead to inflammation at the insertion point of the conjoined tendon of these three muscles, a condition known as pes anserine bursitis.
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It passes behind the medial condyle of the femur
The sartorius muscle is the longest muscle in the human body. It is a long, thin, superficial muscle that runs down the length of the thigh in the anterior compartment. The muscle may be split into two parts, and it originates from the anterior superior iliac spine, and part of the notch between the anterior superior iliac spine and anterior inferior iliac spine. It runs obliquely across the upper and anterior part of the thigh in an inferomedial direction.
The sartorius muscle passes behind the medial condyle of the femur. This is part of its journey from the anterior superior iliac spine to the medial side of the proximal tibia. The muscle passes behind the medial condyle of the femur as it ends in a tendon. This tendon curves anteriorly to join the tendons of the gracilis and semitendinosus muscles in the pes anserinus, where it inserts into the superomedial surface of the tibia.
The upper portion of the sartorius muscle forms the lateral border of the femoral triangle. The point where it crosses the adductor longus marks the apex of the triangle. The femoral triangle is an important anatomical space. The femoral artery, vein and nerve lie medial to the sartorius muscle. The femoral artery continues inferiorly, deep to the sartorius.
The sartorius muscle is innervated by the femoral nerve. It is the most superficial muscle in the anterior compartment of the thigh. It travels obliquely from the anterior superior iliac spine to the medial side of the proximal tibia at the pes anserine. The sartorius muscle acts synergistically with the other musculature of the hip, thigh, and knee.
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The sartorius muscle can move the hip and knee joints
The sartorius muscle is the longest muscle in the human body. It is a long, thin, superficial muscle that runs down the length of the thigh in the anterior compartment. The muscle may be split into two parts. The sartorius muscle can move the hip and knee joints, but all of its actions are weak, making it a synergist muscle.
The sartorius muscle originates from the anterior superior iliac spine and crosses the thigh obliquely to the medial side of the knee. It passes behind the medial condyle of the femur to end in a tendon. This tendon curves anteriorly to join the tendons of the gracilis and semitendinosus muscles in the pes anserinus, where it inserts into the superomedial surface of the tibia. Its upper portion forms the lateral border of the femoral triangle, and the point where it crosses adductor longus marks the apex of the triangle.
The sartorius muscle crosses both the hip and knee joints, producing movements in both. At the hip joint, it is capable of flexion, external rotation, and abduction of the leg. The contraction of the sartorius can also cause flexion of the knee joint and inward, or medial, rotation of the tibia against the femur. At the hip, it can flex, weakly abduct, and laterally rotate the femur. At the knee, it can flex the leg; when the knee is flexed, the sartorius medially rotates the leg. Sitting cross-legged demonstrates all four actions of the sartorius.
The sartorius muscle is innervated by the femoral nerve, which receives its nerve supply from L2, L3, and L4 nerve roots. The femoral nerve innervates both the hip flexor and quadriceps muscle groups. The blood supply to the sartorius is mainly from the muscular branches of the femoral artery. Over half of the blood supply comes from these muscular branches of the femoral artery, but collateral flow does come from elsewhere.
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Frequently asked questions
The sartorius muscle is located in the anterior compartment of the thigh. It is the longest muscle in the human body.
The sartorius muscle flexes, abducts and externally rotates the thigh, and flexes and internally rotates the leg. It is capable of moving the hip and knee joints.
The sartorius muscle has long parallel fibres that run down the length of the thigh. It is a thin, narrow, superficial muscle.
The name 'sartorius' comes from the Latin word 'sartor', which means 'patcher' or 'tailor'. This is because the muscle's position in the leg is similar to the way a tailor positions their leg while working.
