Muscular System & Muscles ~ Lower Limb
Contents
BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE MAJOR MUSCLE IN THE LOWER LIMB .................................................... 1
COMPREHEND THE ORGANISATION OF MUSCLE WITHIN DIFFERENT COMPARTMENTS OF THE
LOWER LIMB, THEIR NERVE SUPPLY AND ACTIONS ......................................................................... 6
REFERENCES.................................................................................................................................... 7
BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE MAJOR MUSCLE IN THE LOWER LIMB
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The major muscles are defined as per the anatomy prac manual from UTS
Muscles in the lower limb are grouped in 3 areas:
1. Muscles of the hip
2. Muscles of the thigh
3. Muscles of the leg
MUSCLES OF THE HIP
Muscles that attach to the hip
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Iliacus & Psoas
Jess Q – Week 5 – Magic Bullets
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MUSCLES OF THE GLUTEAL REGION
Muscles of the gluteal region are grouped into superficial and deep layers
The superficial layer comprises:
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Gluteus Maximus
Gluteus Minimus
Gluteus Medius
The deep layer comprises:
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Piriformis
Obturator internus
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MUSCLES OF THE THIGH
Muscles of the thigh are grouped into anterior, medial and posterior muscle groups
A rough guide looks like this:
Anterior
Medial
Posterior
The Anterior compartment comprises:
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Vastus muscles (vastus lateralis and vastus medialis)
Rectus femoris
Sartorius (can be considered to be in hip or thigh)
Quadriceps femoris
The Medial compartment comprises:
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Adductor longus
Adductor magnus
Gracilis
Obturator externus
Tensor Facia lata
The Posterior compartment comprises:
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Biceps femoris
Semimembranosus
Semitendinosus
Jess Q – Week 5 – Magic Bullets
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MUSCLES OF THE LEG
Muscles of the leg are grouped into anterior, lateral and posterior (superficial and deep if you wish
to be detailed!) compartments
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The Anterior compartment comprises:
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Tibialis anterior
Extensor hallucis longus
Extensor digitorum longus
Peroneous tertius
The Lateral compartment comprises:
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Fibularis brevis
Fibularis longus
The Posterior compartment comprises:
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Flexor digitorum longus
Tibialis posterior
Flexor hallucis longus
Gastrocnemius
Soleus
Popliteus
Tendocalcaneous
Peroneus longus (at back of foot)
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ANTERIOR COMPARTMENT LEG MUSCLES:
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TIBIALIS ANTERIOR
EXTENSOR DIGITORUM LONGUS
EXTENSOR HALLUCIS LONGUS
FIBULARIS (PERONEUS) TERTIUS
POSTERIOR COMPARTMENT LEG MUSCLES:
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GASTROCNEMIUS
SOLEUS
PLANTARIS
FLEXOR HALLUCIS LONGUS
FLEXOR DIGITORUM LONGUS
TIBIALIS POSTERIOR
LATERAL COMPARTMENT LEG MUSCLES:
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FIBULARIS LONGUS
FIBULARIS BREVIS
COMPREHEND THE ORGANISATION OF MUSCLE WITHIN DIFFERENT COMPARTMENTS
OF THE LOWER LIMB, THEIR NERVE SUPPLY AND ACTIONS
Nerve Supply
Inferior Gluteal nerve
Artery Supply*
Inferior Gluteal artery
Gluteus
Minimus/Medius
Piriformis
Superior Gluteal nerve
Superior Gluteal artery
Branches of S1 and S2
Internal pudendal
artery
Thigh – Anterior
(Thigh – Sartorius)
Thigh – Medial
Thigh - Posterior
Femoral Nerve
Deep profundus
Obturator Nerve
Sciatic nerve
(except for the short head
of the biceps femoris that
is supplies by the
common fibula nerve)
Deep fibular nerve
Superficial fibular nerve
Obturator Artery
Perforating artery
Action
Extends thigh
Lateral rotation
Abduct and medially
rotate thigh
Laterally rotate
extended thigh, abduct
thigh
Knee extension
(+ hip flexion)
Adduction of thigh
Knee flexion
Tibial artery
Fibular artery
Extends ankle
Everts foot
Gluteus Maximus
Leg – Anterior
Leg – Lateral
Tibial nerve
Posterior Tibial artery
Flexes ankle
Leg - Posterior
* I think that these artery supplies are correct, however please let me know if you find errors with
them and I will update the table
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REFERENCES
Moore, K., Dalley, A., Agur., A. (2010). Clinically Oriented Anatomy (Sixth Edition). Philadelphia:
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Schünke, M., Lawrence, M., Ross., Schulte, E., Lamperti, E., & Schumacher, U. (2006). Atlas of
Anatomy – General Anatomy and Musculoskeletal System. Germany: Thieme.
Van De Graff, K. (2001). Human Anatomy (Sixth Edition). USA: McGraw.
Anatomy Practical Manual (2012) for Med 1000. Professor Sankar Sinhar. University of Technology,
Sydney.
*If the diagrams aren’t clear enough, I took them from Moore
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