Anatomy and Physiology Exercise 13 Vocabulary

Gluteus maximus

(also known collectively with the gluteus medius and minimus, as the glutealmuscles, and sometimes referred to informally as the "glutes") is the main extensor muscle of the hip.

Hamstrings group

a group of muscles and their tendons at the rear of the upper leg. They include the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus. flex the knee joint and extend the thigh to the backside of the body. They are used in walking, running, and many other physical activities.

Quadriceps femoris group or the 'quads'

a group of muscles located in the front of the thigh.

Gracilis

adducts thigh, flexes and medially rotates leg

Vastus lateralis

also called the ''vastus externus'' is the largest and most powerful part of the quadriceps femoris, a muscle in the thigh. Together with other muscles of the quadriceps group, it serves to extend the knee joint, moving the lower leg forward.

Sartorius

flexes, abducts, and laterally rotates thigh at the hip; flexes knee

Adductor group

group of muscles, as the name suggests, that primarily function to adduct the femur at the hip joint.

Rectus femoris

is a bulk of muscle located in the superior, anterior middle compartment of the thigh and is the only muscle in the quadriceps group that crosses the hip. It is superior and overlying of the vastus intermedius muscle and superior-medial part of Vastus lateralis and Vastus medialis.

Biceps femoris

is a double-headed muscle located on the back of thigh. It consists of two parts: the long head, attached to the ischium (the lower and back part of the hip bone), and the short head, which is attached to the femur bone. ... The hamstring muscles may be considered extensors of the thigh.

Semitendinosus

is a long superficial muscle in the back of the thigh. It is so named because it has a very long tendon of insertion. It lies posteromedially in the thigh, superficial to the semimembranosus

Tibialis anterior

is a muscle in humans that originates in the upper two-thirds of the lateral (outside) surface of the tibia and inserts into the medial cuneiform and first metatarsal bones of the foot. It acts to dorsiflex and invert the foot.

Fibularis longus

is a muscle inside the outer area of the human leg, which everts (bends in an outward direction) and flexes the ankle. The muscle is attached to the head of the fibula and is controlled by the fibular nerve.

Adductor longus

is a skeletal muscle located in the thigh. One of the adductor muscles of the hip, its main function is to adduct the thigh and it is innervated by the obturator nerve. It forms the medial wall of the femoral triangle.

Gastrocnemius

is a superficial two-headed muscle that is in the back part of the lower leg of humans. It runs from its two heads just above the knee to the heel, a three joint muscle (knee, ankle and subtalar joints).

Tensor fasciae latae

is a tiny muscle, inferior to the iliotibial band. This band, also called the IT band, is an elongated strip of fascia — a type of connective tissue — located in the thigh and knee. ... This muscle is innervated by the superior gluteal nerve and performs the functions of hip flexion and abduction.

Vastus medialis

is an extensor muscle located medially in the thigh that extends the knee. It is part of the quadriceps muscle group.

Vastus intermedius

is one of the muscles forming the quadriceps femoris. It is located in the anterior region of the thigh below the rectus femoris and between the vastus medialis and lateralis.

Semimembranosus

is the most medial of the three hamstring muscles. It is so named because it has a flat tendon of origin. It lies posteromedially in the thigh, deep to the semitendinosus

Soleus

is the plantar flexor muscle of the ankle. It is capable of exerting powerful forces onto the ankle joint. It is located on the back of the lower leg and originates at the posterior (rear) aspect of the fibular head and the medial border of the tibial shaft.

Gluteus medius

works to provide rotation of the thigh outward from the center of the body, which enables a steady walking gait. It attaches to the leg at the top of the femur (thigh bone), close to the hip joint, on a bony prominence called the greater trochanter.