Muscle Attachments
Muscle Images
| Region | Muscle | Origin | Insertion | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hip - Anterior | Iliopsoas | Iliac fossa (iliacus, sacrum (iliacus), spine (T12, L1, L2, L3, L4, L5) & intervertebral discs (psoas major, psoas minor) | Femur - lesser trochanter (psoas major/minor), shaft below lesser trochanter (iliacus), tendon of psoas major & femur (iliacus) | Flexion of hip (psoas major/minor, iliacus), spine rotation (psoas major/minor) |
| Hip - Anterior | Psoas major | Lower spine | In the lesser trochanter of the femur | Flexes and rotates laterally thigh |
| Hip - Anterior | Psoas minor | Side of T12+L1 and IV Disc between | Pectineal line [disambiguation needed] and iliopectineal eminence | Weak trunk flexor |
| Hip - Anterior | Iliacus | Iliac fossa | Lesser trochanter of femur | Flexes and rotates laterally thigh |
| Hip - Posterior | Gluteus maximus muscle | Gluteal surface of ilium, lumbar fascia, sacrum, sacrotuberous ligament | Gluteal tuberosity of the femur, iliotibial tract | External rotation and extension of the hip joint, supports the extended knee through the iliotibial tract, chief antigravity muscle in sitting |
| Hip - Lateral | Gluteus medius muscle | Gluteal surface of ilium, under gluteus maximus | Greater trochanter of the femur | Abduction of the hip; preventing adduction of the hip. Medial rotation of thigh. |
| Hip - Lateral | Gluteus Minimus | Gluteal surface of ilium, under gluteus medius. | Greater trochanter of the femur | Works in concert with gluteus medius: abduction of the hip; preventing adduction of the hip. Medial rotation of thigh. |
| Hip - Anterior | Tensor fasciae latae | Iliac crest | Iliotibial tract | Thigh - flexion, medial rotation. Trunk stabilization. |
| Hip - Deep | Piriformis | Sacrum | Greater trochanter | Rotate laterally (outward) the thigh |
| Hip - Deep | Obturator externus | Obturator foramen and obturatory membrane | Medial aspect of greater trochanter of femur | Adduct thigh, rotate laterally thigh |
| Hip - Deep | Obturator internus | Ischiopubic ramus & obturator membrane | Medial aspect of the Greater trochanter | Abducts & rotates laterally thigh, and stabiliser of the hip during walking |
| Hip - Deep | Inferior gemellus | Ischial tuberosity | Obturator internus tendon | Rotates laterally thigh |
| Hip - Deep | Superior gemellus | Spine of the ischium | Obturator internus tendon | Rotates laterally thigh |
| Hip - Deep | Quadratus femoris | Ischial tuberosity | Intertrochanteric crest | Lateral rotation of thigh |
| Thigh - Medial | Sartorius | Superior to the anterior superior iliac spine | Medial side of the upper tibia in the pes anserinus | Flexion, lateral rotation and abduction of thigh; flexion and medial rotation of leg |
| Thigh - Medial | Gracilis | Ischiopubic ramus | Tibia (pes anserinus) | Flexes hip, knee |
| Thigh - Medial | Pectineus | Pubis - superior pubic ramus | Lesser trochanter, linea aspera | Thigh - flexion, adduction, medial rotation |
| Thigh - Medial | Adductor brevis | Anterior surface of the inferior ramus and body of the pubis | The lesser trochanter and linea aspera of the femur | Adduction of hip |
| Thigh - Medial | Adductor longus | Pubic body just below the pubic crest | Middle third of linea aspera | Adduction of thigh |
| Thigh - Medial | Adductor magnus | Pubis, tuberosity of the ischium | Femur | Adduction of hip |
| Thigh - Anterior | Quadriceps femoris | Combined rectus femoris and vastus muscles | Patella and Tibial tuberosity via the Patellar ligament | Knee extension; Hip flexion (R.Fem. Only) |
| Thigh - Anterior | Rectus femoris | Anterior inferior iliac spine and the exterior surface of the bony ridge which forms the iliac portion of the acetabulum | Patella and Tibial tuberosity via the Patellar ligament | Knee extension; hip flexion |
| Thigh - Anterior | Vastus lateralis | Greater trochanter, Intertrochanteric line, and Linea aspera of the Femur | Patella and Tibial tuberosity via the Patellar ligament | Extends and stabilizes knee |
| Thigh - Anterior | Vastus intermedius | Antero/ lateral femur | Patella and Tibial tuberosity via the Patellar ligament | Extends knee |
| Thigh - Anterior | Vastus medialis | Femur | Patella and Tibial tuberosity via the Patellar ligament | Extends knee |
| Thigh - Anterior | Articularis genu | Femur | Suprapatellar bursa | Pulling the suprapatellar bursa during extension of the knee. |
| Thigh - Posterior | Biceps femoris | Tuberosity of the ischium, linea aspera, femur | The head of the fibula which articulates with the back of the lateral tibial condyle | Flexes knee joint, laterally rotates knee joint (when knee is flexed), extends hip joint (long head only) |
| Thigh - Posterior | Semitendinosus | Tuberosity of the ischium | Pes anserinus | Flex knee, extend hip joint |
| Thigh - Posterior | Semimembranosus | Ischial tuberosity | Medial surface of tibia | Hip extension, Knee flexion |
| Leg - Anterior | Tibialis anterior | Body of tibia | Medial cuneiform and first metatarsal bones of the foot | Dorsiflex and invert the foot |
| Leg - Anterior | Extensor hallucis longus | Middle portion of the fibula on the anterior surface and the interosseous membrane | Dorsal side of the base of the distal phalanx of the Hallux | Extends the big toe and assists in dorsiflexion of the foot at the ankle. Also is a weak invertor |
| Leg - Anterior | Extensor digitorum longus | Lateral Condyle of tibia and superior three quarters of interosseous membrane | Middle and Distal phalanges of lateral four digits | Extension of toes and ankle |
| Leg - Anterior | Peroneus Tertius | Distal anterior surface of the fibula | Dorsal surface of fifth metatarsal, near the base | Dorsiflexes and everts foot |
| Leg - Posterior | Gastrocnemius | Superior to articular surfaces of both condyles of the femur | Calcaneus | Plantarflexion, flexion of knee (minor) |
| Leg - Posterior | Soleus | Fibula, medial border of tibia (soleal line) | Tendo calcaneus | Plantarflexion |
| Leg - Posterior | Plantaris | Lateral supracondylar ridge of femur above lateral head of gastrocnemius | Tendo calcaneus (medial side, deep to gastrocnemius tendon) | Plantar flexes foot and flexes knee |
| Leg - Posterior | Popliteus | Middle facet of the lateral surface of the lateral femoral condyle | Posteromedial tibia, inferior to tibial condyles | Medial rotation and flexion of knee |
| Leg - Medial | Flexor hallucis longus | Fibula, posterior aspect of upper third | Base of distal phalanx of hallux | Flexes all joints of the Hallux, plantar flexion of the ankle joint |
| Leg - Medial | Flexor digitorum longus | Posterior surface of the body of the tibia | Plantar surface of the bases of the distal phalanges of lateral four digits | Primary action is Flex digits |
| Leg - Medial | Tibialis posterior | Posteromedial borders of the tibia and fibula | Tuberosity of navicular, sustentaculum tali, plantar surface of all cuneiforms, cuboid and bases of second, third and fourth metatarsals | Inversion of the foot, plantar flexion of the foot at the ankle |
| Leg - Lateral | Peroneus longus | Head and upper two-thirds of the fibula | Plantar surface of first metatarsal, medial cuneiform | Plantarflexion, eversion |
| Leg - Lateral | Peroneus brevis | Lower two thirds of lateral surface of fibula | Base of the fifth metatarsal | Plantarflexion, eversion |
| Foot - Dorsal | Extensor digitorum brevis | Calcaneus | Toes | Extends digits 2, 3, and 4 |
| Foot - Dorsal | Extensor hallucis brevis | Calcaneus | Base of proximal phalanx of hallux | Extension of hallux |
| Foot - Plantar - First Layer | Abductor hallucis | Medial process of calcaneus, flexor retinaculum [disambiguation needed], plantar aponeurosis | Medial side of base of proximal phalanx of first digit | Abducts hallux |
| Foot - Plantar - First Layer | Flexor digitorum brevis | Medial process of calcaneus, plantar aponeurosis, intermuscular septa [disambiguation needed] | Middle phalanges of digits 2-5 | Flexes lateral four toes |
| Foot - Plantar - First Layer | Abductor digiti minimi | Plantar aponeurosis | Fifth toe or Phalanges | Flex and abduct the fifth toe |
| Foot - Plantar - Second Layer | Quadratus plantae | Calcaneus | Tendons of Flexor Digitorum Longus | Assists Flexor Digitorum Longus in flexion of DIP joints |
| Foot - Plantar - Second Layer | Lumbrical muscle | Tendons of flexor digitorum longus | Medial aspect of extensor expansion over lateral four digits | Flex proximal phalanges and extend middle and distal phalanges of lateral four digits |
| Foot - Plantar - Third Layer | Flexor hallucis brevis | Plantar surface of cuneiform bones | Medial and lateral sesamoid bones of first metatarsal | Flex hallux |
| Foot - Plantar - Third Layer | Adductor hallucis | Oblique Head: proximal ends of middle 3 metatarsal bones; Transverse Head: MTP ligaments of middle 3 toes | Lateral side of base of first phalanx of the 1st toe | Adducts hallux |
| Foot - Plantar - Third Layer | Flexor digiti minimi brevis | Fifth metatarsal bone | Phalanx of the fifth toe | Flex and adduct the fifth toe |
| Foot - Plantar - Fourth Layer | Dorsal interossei | Metatarsals | Proximal phalanges | Abduct toes |
| Foot - Plantar - Fourth Layer | Plantar interossei | Metatarsals | Proximal phalanges | Adduct toes |