Anatomy Quiz 3 practice questions

The femoral artery enters the popliteal fossa (becoming the popliteal artery) by passing through the: a. Adductor hiatus b. Femoral canal c. Femoral sheath d. Femoral triangle e. Saphenous opening

a. Adductor hiatus The adductor hiatus is a split in the adductor magnus muscle found at the end of the adductor canal. At the adductor hiatus, the femoral vessels pass through to reach the posterior surface of the leg, changing names to become the popliteal vessels.

A patient with painful swelling in the distal calf cannot plantar flex at the ankle with any power. Which tendon was likely ruptured? a. Calcaneal b. Extensor digitorum longus c. Extensor hallucis longus d. Plantaris e. Tibialis anterior

a. Calcaneal

The short head of biceps femoris muscle is innervated by which nerve? a. Common fibular b. Femoral c. Inferior gluteal d. Obturator e. Tibial

a. Common fibular The short head of biceps femoris is innervated by the common fibular nerve; all the other muscles in the hamstring compartment are innervated by the tibial nerve.

The hamstrings muscles are supplied by branches of which artery? a. Deep femoral b. Fibular c. Obturator d. Pudendal e. Superficial femoral

a. Deep femoral

As a patient with paralyzed gluteus medius and minimus muscles on the left side attempts to stand on the left limb only, the right side of the pelvis typically: a. Drops b. Elevates c. Rotates laterally e. Rotates medially f. Thrusts forward

a. Drops when gluteus medius and minimus are injured, a patient will show a positive Trendelenburg sign. This means that when this patient attempts to stand on the left leg only, the uninjured right hip will drop

A patient complains of localized pain in a swollen lower calf and cannot strongly plantar flex his foot. What tendon may have ruptured? a. calcaneal b. fibularis tertius c. flexor digitorum longus d. flexor hallucis longus e. tibialis anterior

a. calcaneal

Weakness in climbing stairs or jumping would indicate a lesion of which nerve? a. Tibial b. Superior gluteal c. Inferior gluteal d. Obturator e. Femoral

c. Inferior gluteal Since the question specifies that there is a weakness when climbing steps or jumping, you should know that there is a problem with powerfully extending the hip. And that's what gluteus maximus does. The nerve to gluteus maximus, the inferior gluteal nerve, must be the nerve that was injured

The medial thigh muscles rotate the femur medially, counterbalanced by muscles of the _____________ thigh, including the ___________ muscle, which rotates the femur laterally. a. Lateral; tensor fasciae latae b. Anterior; rectus femoris c. Lateral; piriformis d. Posterior; biceps femoris e. Posterior; quadriceps femoris

c. Lateral; piriformis Piriformis laterally rotates the thigh; it is a member of the lateral compartment which includes other muscles that laterally rotate the thigh, like obturator internus and the superior and inferior gemellus muscles. So, this is the best answer.

During surgical repair of a popliteal artery aneurism, ligation of the femoral artery at mid-thigh would not interrupt supply to the hamstring muscles because the a. Genicular anastomosis ensures blood supply to the posterior thigh b. Cruciate anastomosis ensures blood supply to the posterior thigh c. Perforating branches of the deep femoral artery supply the posterior thigh d. Obturator artery supplies the posterior thigh e. Anterior and posterior femoral circumflex arteries anastomose with the inferior gluteal artery

c. Perforating branches of the deep femoral artery supply the posterior thigh The deep femoral artery supplies the posterior compartment of the thigh with three to four perforating arteries

When the femur is fractured, the broken distal end often turns posteriorly to enter the popliteal fossa due to muscle traction. Because of its position deepest in the fossa, which structure is most vulnerable to laceration? a. Common fibular n. b. Lesser saphenous v. c. Popliteal a. d. Popliteal v. e. Tibial n.

c. Popliteal a. The popliteal fossa contains the popliteal artery, popliteal vein, common fibular nerve, and tibial nerve. The popliteal artery is the deepest structure in the fossa

When the distal femur is fractured, the sharp broken ends of the bone often damage the structure that lies closest to the femur in the popliteal fossa, i.e., the: a. Descending genicular artery b. Greater saphenous vein c. Popliteal artery d. Popliteal vein e .Sciatic nerve

c. Popliteal artery

The team doctor tells a football player that he has "a pulled hamstring" muscle. This results from a tearing of the origin of a hamstring muscle from the: a. sacrum b. posterior gluteal line c. ischial tuberosity e. obturator membrane f. iliac tubercle

c. ischial tuberosity The hamstring muscles are: biceps femoris, semimembranosus, and semitendinosus. They originate from the ischial tuberosity and insert on the tibia and fibula (biceps).

Because of its muscle attachments, a fracture to the ischial tuberosity would affect which movement of the lower limb? a. Abduction of the thigh b. Dorsiflexion of the foot c. Extension of the leg d. Flexion of the leg e. Flexion of the thigh

d. Flexion of the leg

The deep femoral artery is the principle blood source for the muscles in which compartment of the thigh? a. Anterior b. Lateral (gluteal) c. Medial (adductor) d. Posterior (hamstring)

d. Posterior (hamstring) The deep femoral artery supplies the posterior compartment of the thigh with three to four perforating arteries. These arteries pierce adductor magnus and supply blood to the hamstrings--biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus.

If the head of the femur is dislocated postero-medially, compression of which nerve is likely to result? a. Femoral b. Lumbosacral trunk c. Obturator d. Sciatic e. Superior gluteal

d. Sciatic The sciatic nerve is closely related to the posterior hip joint, which makes this nerve very vulnerable in cases where the femur is dislocated postero-medially. If the sciatic nerve was completely paralyzed, the compartments innervated by its two branches: the common fibular and tibial nerves, would lose function. This would mean that the hamstrings and all the muscles of below the knee would lose their innervation.

Of the branches of the internal iliac artery, the one exiting from the greater sciatic foramen superior to the piriformis muscle is the: a. Iliolumbar artery b. Internal pudendal artery c. Lateral sacral artery d. Superior gluteal artery

d. Superior gluteal artery

A fracture of the ischial tuberosity might be expected to most directly affect the muscles that produce which lower limb movement? a. Abduction at the hip b. Adduction at the hip c. Extension at the knee d. Flexion at the hip e. Flexion at the knee

e. Flexion at the knee The ischial tuberosity is the origin for the hamstrings muscles which are the muscles that allow for extension at the hip and flexion at the knee. If the ischial tuberosity was fractured, the hamstrings would be separated from their origin and would not function properly.

Following a major operation, a patient was placed on a course of antibiotics which were delivered via intramuscular injection to the buttocks. After one injection in the right buttock, the patient complained of more pain than usual in the region of the injection. Later, as he was walking in the hall, the nurse noticed that he had a limp that had not been present before--his left hip dropped every time he lifted his left foot off the floor. Which nerve had been injured by the injection? a. Femoral b. Inferior gluteal c. Obturator d. Sciatic e. Superior gluteal

e. Superior gluteal

After suffering a deep stab wound in the medial upper quadrant of the right buttock, an emergency room patient found walking to be very difficult. The basic problem was that, during stepping, her left hip sagged down as soon as the left foot was lifted off the ground to swing forward. What nerve was damaged? a. Femoral b. Inferior gluteal c. Obturator d. Pudendal e. Superior gluteal

e. Superior gluteal The superior gluteal nerve supplies gluteus minimus and medius--two muscles that are important abductors of the hip--and tensor fasciae latae. These muscles stabilize the pelvis when walking.

A football player tears his calcaneal tendon. You would expect to find weakness in: a. dorsifiexion of the foot b. eversion of the foot c. extension of the knee d. inversion of the foot e. plantarflexion of the foot

e. plantarflexion of the foot

While on vacation in Florida following her final exams, a scuba diving medical student is accidentally speared by her diving partner. The end of the spear passes medial to lateral, posterior to the medial malleolus. It severs an artery there, which is the: a. anterior tibial b. dorsalis pedis c. fibular d. medial plantar e. posterior tibial

e. posterior tibial

When, in approximately 12% of people, the common fibular nerve passes through the piriformis muscle, the nerve may be compressed. This would affect part of which muscle? a. Adductor magnus b. Biceps femoris c. Gluteus maximus d. Semimembranosus e. Semitendinosus

b. Biceps femoris Biceps femoris, semimembranosus, and semitendinosus are all part of the hamstrings compartment, which is innervated by the tibial nerve. But, the short head of biceps femoris is the one part of the hamstring compartment that is innervated by the common fibular nerve instead of the tibial nerve.

An elderly patient complains of difficulty in walking up stairs. Tests by her doctor reveal weakness in extension at her hip, but no change in hip flexion, or flexion or extension of the knee. Based upon these results, what muscle is most likely not functioning properly. a. Adductor magnus b. Gluteus maximus c. Gluteus medius d. Iliopsoas e. Semitendinosus

b. Gluteus maximus Gluteus maximus is the most important muscle for powerfully extending the thigh. This is the muscle that is used for forceful extension at the hip joint, which is what you need to go up the stairs or to jump powerfully.

What muscle passes through the lesser sciatic foramen? a. Gluteus minimus b. Obturator internus c. Piriformis d. Quadratus femoris e. Superior gemellus

b. Obturator internus Obturator internus leaves the pelvis by passing through the lesser sciatic foramen. It eventually inserts on the greater trochanter of the femur and helps to laterally rotate and abduct the thigh.

A tennis player feels a "pop" in her calf as she is playing. Her calf becomes tender and there is some slight amount of swelling. Upon examination, her physician informs her that she has ruptured the slender tendon of a small muscle that attaches to the calcaneus. She has apparently ruptured the: a. gastrocnemius b. plantaris c. popliteus d. soleus e. tibialis posterior

b. plantaris

In a hunting accident, an arrow pierces the mid-calf of a hunter. A major artery is lacerated in the posterior leg, and you notice that the sole of his foot is cold and pale. The dorsum of the foot is warm and normally colored. The artery that seems to be injured is the: a. fibular artery b. posterior tibial artery c. femoral artery d. popliteal artery e. medial plantar artery

b. posterior tibial artery

During recovery from a gunshot wound of the right pelvis, the patient notices a lurch in his gait. When he lifts his left foot off of the ground, his pelvis dips down on the left side. The nerve that appears to have been injured is the: a. nerve to piriformis b. nerve to obturator internus c. sciatic nerve d. femoral nerve e. superior gluteal nerve

e. superior gluteal nerve supplies gluteus minimus and medius--two muscles that are important abductors of the hip--as well as tensor fasciae latae. If a patient exhibits a characteristic hip drop on the uninjured side while standing on the injured side, this is called Trendelenburg's sign. It occurs when the superior gluteal nerve--the nerve supply to the abductors of the thigh--is disrupted due to injury or disease.