Logan Steele
The femur is a robust bone that provides attachment points for the muscles of the hip and knee, enabling movement and propulsion. The muscles of the thigh are divided into the anterior, medial, and posterior compartments, with the femur sitting within the anterior compartment. The thigh muscles are responsible for extending the femur, with the hip flexors and extensors playing a crucial role in this process. The gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus muscles, along with the tensor fasciae latae, contribute to hip extension, abduction, and internal rotation. The adductor longus, adductor brevis, and adductor magnus muscles also play a role in extending the femur, while the pectineus, iliopsoas, and sartorius muscles act as hip flexors.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Muscle that extends the femur | Gluteus maximus |
| Tensor fasciae latae | |
| Sartorius | |
| Quadriceps femoris | |
| Rectus femoris | |
| Vastus lateralis | |
| Vastus medialis | |
| Vastus intermedius | |
| Semitendinosus | |
| Semimembranosus | |
| Adductor magnus | |
| Pectineus | |
| Gracilis | |
| Iliopsoas |
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What You'll Learn
Gluteus maximus
The gluteus maximus is the outermost muscle of the buttocks, arising from connections to nearby structures in this area. It is the most superficial and the largest of all three gluteal muscles. It is enveloped with a thin fascia that separates the muscle from the adjacent subcutaneous tissue. The gluteus maximus is a tensor of the fascia lata, and by its connection with the iliotibial band, it steadies the femur on the articular surfaces of the tibia during standing, when the extensor muscles are relaxed. It also acts on the bony pelvis, supporting it and the trunk, which is vital when standing on one leg.
The gluteus maximus is involved in several sports, from running to weightlifting. A number of exercises focus on the gluteus maximus and other muscles of the upper leg, such as squats and lunges. In cultural terms, the glutes are often considered a symbol of health and strength and aesthetically appealing. They frequently feature in artwork that seeks to emphasise and celebrate physicality and the ability to move dynamically and powerfully.
The gluteus maximus muscle originates from several sites, including the posterolateral aspect of the sacrum and coccyx, the sacrotuberous ligament, the gluteal surface of the ilium, the thoracolumbar fascia, and the gluteal aponeurosis. The muscle fibres take an inferolateral course, converging towards the femur. The most superficial three-quarters of the muscle form a tendinous lamina that inserts between the two layers of the fascia lata, thus contributing to the formation of the iliotibial tract. The remaining deep one-quarter of the muscle inserts to the gluteal tuberosity of the femur via a broad aponeurosis.
The gluteus maximus exhibits four actions on the hip joint: extension, external rotation, abduction, and adduction of the thigh. When its proximal attachment is fixed, the gluteus maximus acts as the main extensor of the hip joint, pulling the shaft of the femur posteriorly. The external rotation of the thigh happens simultaneously with the extension, assisting in raising the medial longitudinal arch of the foot. On the contrary, when its distal attachment is fixed, the gluteus maximus pulls the pelvis posteriorly.
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Adductor magnus
The adductor magnus is a large triangular muscle of the lower limb, with its apex situated on the hip bone and its base on the linea aspera of the femur. It is the largest and most posterior of the adductor muscles, crossing into the posterior compartment. It is a composite muscle, consisting of two parts: the adductor part and the ischiocondylar part. The adductor part, also known as the pubofemoral part, arises from the outer surface of the inferior pubic ramus of the pubic bone and the ischial ramus. It can be divided into two portions: the superior portion, which arises from the pubic ramus, and the inferior portion, which arises from the ischial ramus.
The adductor portion of the adductor magnus originates from the inferior ramus of the pubis and inserts on the linea aspera and the medial supracondylar ridge. It adducts and flexes the thigh. The hamstring portion of the adductor magnus originates from the ischial tuberosity and inserts on the adductor tubercle of the femur. It extends and adducts the thigh. The adductor magnus is a powerful adductor of the thigh, especially active when the legs are moved from a wide-spread position to one in which the legs are parallel to each other.
The adductor magnus is a dynamic stabilizer of the pelvis and femur, as well as a prime mover of the femur into adduction. It plays a similar role to the deltoid muscle, with one portion flexing the thigh and working as a medial rotator, while the other extends the thigh and is a lateral rotator. The anterior fibres, which originate from the rami of the pubis and ischium, may assist in flexion, while the posterior fibres that arise from the ischial tuberosity may assist in extension. The adductor magnus has a large hip extensor muscle moment arm, and it is a more effective hip extensor than either the hamstrings or gluteus maximus when the hip is flexed.
The adductor magnus is related to several neurovascular structures. On its anterior surface, it is related to the pectineus, adductor brevis, adductor longus, femoral artery and vein, profunda artery and vein, and their branches. On its posterior surface, it is related to the semitendinosus, semimembranosus, biceps, and gluteus maximus muscle. On its inner border, it is related to the gracilis and sartorius muscles, and on its upper border, to the obturator externus and quadratus femoris.
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Sartorius
The sartorius muscle is a long, thin, band-like muscle that runs down the length of the thigh in the anterior compartment. It is the longest muscle in the human body, often exceeding 50 cm in length. The sartorius muscle originates from the anterior superior iliac spine and runs obliquely across the upper and anterior part of the thigh in an inferomedial direction. It passes behind the medial condyle of the femur and ends in a tendon that joins the tendons of the gracilis and semitendinosus muscles in the pes anserinus, inserting into the superomedial surface of the tibia.
The sartorius muscle is innervated by the femoral nerve and receives 5 to 11 vessels originating from various arteries, including the superficial circumflex iliac, lateral femoral, deep femoral, descending geniculate, and femoral arteries. At the hip joint, the sartorius muscle flexes, weakly abducts, and laterally rotates the thigh. At the knee joint, it flexes the leg and, when the knee is flexed, medially rotates the leg. The muscle plays an important role in pelvis stabilization, especially in women, due to the constrictive effect on the pubic symphysis.
The name "sartorius" comes from the Latin word "sartor," meaning tailor, and it is sometimes referred to as the tailor's muscle. This name may refer to the cross-legged position in which tailors once sat, the location of the inferior portion of the muscle being the "inseam" measured by tailors, or the resemblance of the muscle to a tailor's ribbon. Antique sewing machines required continuous crossbody pedalling, which would have resulted in tailors having particularly developed sartorius muscles.
The sartorius muscle is susceptible to a condition called pes anserine bursitis, an inflammatory condition of the medial portion of the knee. This condition typically affects athletes due to overuse and is characterised by pain, swelling, and tenderness. It occurs when there is inflammation of the bursae underlying the tendons, causing them to separate from the head of the tibia.
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Pectineus
The pectineus muscle is a flat, quadrangular muscle found in the superomedial part of the anterior thigh. It is considered a composite muscle as it is innervated by the femoral nerve (L2 and L3) and, in 20% of cases, by the accessory obturator nerve. The femoral nerve is the greater nerve, providing the sole innervation for the pectineus in over 90% of cases.
The pectineus muscle is located in the femoral triangle, which is formed at the junction between the hip and the leg. The femoral triangle also includes the femoral nerve, the femoral artery, the femoral vein, and the deep inguinal lymph nodes. The pectineus is considered a transitional muscle between the anterior thigh and medial thigh. It is one of the muscles located on the medial thigh, alongside a group of four primary large muscles: the Adductor Longus, Adductor Brevis, Adductor Magnus, and Gracilis muscles.
The pectineus muscle arises from the pectineal line of the pubis and, to a lesser extent, from the surface of the bone in front of it, between the iliopectineal eminence and pubic tubercle. The fibres pass downward, backward, and lateral, to be inserted into the pectineal line of the femur, which leads from the lesser trochanter to the linea aspera. The pectineus is the most superior hip adductor and is the most anterior adductor of the hip.
The pectineus muscle assists in hip adduction and flexion. Its functions include the additional movements of thigh flexion, external (lateral) rotation, and internal (medial) rotation. It is also a postural muscle, stabilising the pelvis and balancing the trunk on the lower extremity during walking. The pectineus muscle can become injured by overstretching, such as stretching a leg too far out to the side or front of the body, or by rapid movements like kicking or sprinting.
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Iliopsoas
The iliopsoas muscle is a common site of bleeding in patients undergoing blood anticoagulation. It is a combination of the psoas major and the iliacus muscles, which are separate in the abdomen but usually merge in the thigh. The iliopsoas is also sometimes formed of three muscles, including the iliacus, psoas major, and psoas minor. The psoas minor is only present in 60% to 65% of individuals.
The iliopsoas muscle joins to the femur at the lesser trochanter. It acts as the strongest flexor of the hip and is the prime mover of hip flexion. It is supplied by the lumbar spinal nerves L1–L3 (psoas) and parts of the femoral nerve (iliacus). The psoas major originates along the outer surfaces of the vertebral bodies of T12 and L1–L3 and their associated intervertebral discs. The iliacus originates in the iliac fossa of the pelvis. The psoas major unites with the iliacus at the level of the inguinal ligament.
The iliopsoas is an "anterior hip muscle" or "inner hip muscle". It is a typical posture muscle dominated by slow-twitch red type 1 fibres. It is essential for correct standing or sitting lumbar posture, stabilising the coxofemoral joint, and is crucial during walking and running.
The iliopsoas muscle is covered by the iliac fascia, which begins as a strong tube-shaped psoas fascia that surrounds the psoas major muscle as it passes under. The fascia covering the iliopsoas muscle creates multiple fascial connections, relating the muscle to different viscera and muscle areas.
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Frequently asked questions
The femur acts as the site of origin and attachment of many muscles and ligaments. The adductor magnus, semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and gluteus maximus are some of the muscles that extend the femur.
The adductor magnus is the largest and most posterior of the adductor muscles. It crosses into the posterior compartment and has both an adductor and a hamstring part. The hamstring portion of the adductor magnus originates from the ischial tuberosity and inserts on the adductor tubercle of the femur.
The gluteus maximus is a superficial gluteal muscle that extends, externally rotates, abducts, and adducts the thigh at the hip joint.
