Anatomy of The front and medial
aspects of the thigh
Department of human Anatomy and Embryology
Faculty of Medicine
Mansoura National University, Egypt
Compartments of the thigh
The thigh is divided by three septa into three compartments.
a- The anterior compartment
b- The medial compartment
c- The posterior compartment
The anterior compartment
Muscles of the front of the thigh
1-Sartorius
2-Quadriceps femoris muscle
The anterior compartment
Sartorius
Origin: arises from the anterior superior iliac spine.
Insertion: to the upper part of the medial surface of the tibia.
Nerve supply: the femoral nerve.
Action:
✓Flexion, lateral rotation & abduction of the hip joint.
✓Flexion & medial rotation of the knee joint (cross-legged tailor).
The anterior compartment
Quadriceps femoris muscle
Formed of 4 muscles:
Rectus femoris.
Vastus medialis
Vastus intermedius
Vastus lateral
Origin:
i. Rectus femoris: from anterior inferior iliac spine
ii. Vastus lateralis: from upper end of the intertrochanteric line,
root of the greater trochanter, gluteal tuberosity & lateral lip of the
linea aspera.
iii. Vastus medialis: from lower end of the intertrochanteric line,
spiral line, medial lip of linea aspera & medial supracondylar line.
iv. Vastus intermedius: from upper three-fourth of the anterior
& lateral surfaces of shaft of the femur.
The anterior compartment
Insertion of quadriceps:
1. The four parts of quadriceps femoris are inserted by common
tendon
(quadriceps tendon) into the base of the patella.
Nerve supply: femoral nerve.
Action:
1. The main extensor of the knee joint.
2. The rectus femoris assist in flexion of the hip joint.
The Medial compartment
1. The anterior layer: consists of pectineus and adductor longus.
2. The middle layer: is adductor brevis.
3. The posterior layer: is adductor magnus.
4. gracilis muscle. (Medially)
Pectineus muscle
Origin: from the pectineal line & surface of
the of the pubis.
Insertion: (pectineal line of femur).
Nerve supply: femoral nerve or accessory
obturator nerve (if present).
Action: adduction, flexion and lateral rotation
of the hip joint.
Adductor longus muscle
Origin: arises by tendon from the front of the body of the pubis
below the pubic crest.
Insertion: into the middle third of the linea aspera.
Nerve supply: Anterior division of the obturator nerve.
Action: adduction, flexion and lateral rotation of the hip joint.
Adductor brevis muscle:
Origin: Form the lower part of the body of the pubic bone &
from the inferior pubic ramus
Insertion: (pectineal line of femur) & upper part of linea aspera.
Nerve supply: anterior division of the obturator nerve.
Action: (same as longus)
Adductor magnus muscle (x 2)
Origin:
1.Pubic part: from the inferior pubic ramus and ischial ramus.
2.Ischial part: from ischial tuberosity.
Insertion:
1.Pubic part: linea aspera,
2.Ischial part: into the adductor tubercle
Nerve supply:
1.Pubic part: posterior division of the obturator nerve.
2.Ischial part: sciatic nerve.
Action:
1.Pubic part (as longus):
2.Ischial part: extend the hip joint (as the hamstring muscles).
Gracilis muscle
Origin: form the medial margin of the pubis
Insertion: into the upper part of the medial surface of
the tibia(SGS)
Nerve supply: anterior division of obturator nerve.
Action (as longus): adduction, flexion and lateral
rotation of the hip joint.
muscle of the back of the thigh
(Hamstring muscles)
1. Semitendinosus .
2. Semimembranosus .
3. Biceps femoris .
Semitendinosus muscle
origin: the ischial tuberosity.
❖ insertion:
❑ medial surface of the tibia behind the
tendons of the sartorius and gracilis
(SGS).
❖ Nerve supply: tibial part of the sciatic
❖ Action:
-Extension of hip - Flexion of knee.
-Medial rotation to the leg.
Semimembranosus muscle
origin: the ischial tuberosity.
❖ insertion:
❑ posterior surface of the medial condyle
of the tibia
❖ Nerve supply: tibial part of the sciatic
❖ Action:
-Extension of hip - Flexion of knee.
-Medial rotation to the leg.
Biceps femoris muscle:
❖ origin:
❑ long head: the ischial tuberosity.
❑ short head: lower half of the Linea aspera
& upper part of the lateral supracondylar
line.
❖ insertion:
❑ styloid process of the fibula
❖ Action:
❖Nerve supply: -Extension of hip - Flexion of
long head: tibial part of sciatic nerve. knee.
short head: common peroneal part of sciatic -lateral rotation to the leg.
nerve.
