Section 7: Lower Limb

Question 1

Name the 4 compartments of the lower leg.

Answer 1

Anterior
Lateral
Superficial posterior
Deep posterior

[Plate 510]

Question 2

Name the components of the anterior compartment of the lower leg.

Answer 2

Extensor muscles:

1. ) tibialis anterior
2. ) extensor digitorum longus
3. ) extensor hallucis longus
4. ) fibularis (peroneus) tertius

Anterior tibial artery and veins
Deep fibular (peroneal) nerve 

[Plate 510]

Question 3

Name the components of the lateral compartment of the lower leg.

Answer 3

Fibularis (peroneus) longus muscle
Fibularis (peroneus) brevis muscle
Superficial fibular (peroneal) nerve

[Plate 510]

Question 4

Name the components of the superficial posterior compartment of the lower leg.

Answer 4

Superficial flexor muscles:
Soleus
Gastrocnemius
Plantaris (tendon)

[Plate 510]

Question 5

Name the components of the deep posterior compartment of the lower leg.

Answer 5

Deep flexor muscles:
     Flexor digitorum longus
     Tibialis posterior
     Flexor hallucis longus
     Popliteus
Posterior tibial artery and veins

Question 6

Name the 4 muscles which make up the quadriceps femoris.

Answer 6

Rectus femoris
Vastus lateralis
Vastus intermedius
Vastus medialis

Question 7

Name the muscles which comprise the anterior thigh muscle group.

Answer 7

articularis genus
iliacus (iliopsoas)
psoas major (iliopsoas)
sartorius

quads: 
   rectus femoris
   vastus intermedius
   vastus lateralis
   vastus medialis 

[From Netter’s Anatomy, Table 7]

Question 8

origin of the vastus medialis

Answer 8

intertrochanteric line, medial lip of linea aspera of femur

[From Netter’s Anatomy, Table 7]

Question 9

insertion of the vastus medialis

Answer 9

base of patella and to tibial tuberosity via patellar ligament

[From Netter’s Anatomy, Table 7]

Question 10

innervation of vastus medialis

Answer 10

femoral nerve

[From Netter’s Anatomy, Table 7]

Question 11

main action of vastus medialis

Answer 11

extends leg at knee joint

[From Netter’s Anatomy, Table 7]

Question 12

blood supply of vastus medialis

Answer 12

femoral and profunda femoris arteries

Question 13

origin of the vastus lateralis

Answer 13

greater trochanter, lateral lip of linea aspera of femur

Question 14

insertion of the vastus lateralis

Answer 14

base of patella and to tibial tuberosity via patellar ligament

Question 15

innervation of the vastus lateralis

Answer 15

femoral nerve

Question 16

main action of the vastus lateralis

Answer 16

extends leg at knee joint

Question 17

blood supply of the vastus lateralis

Answer 17

lateral circumflex femoral and profunda femoris arteries

Question 18

origin of the vastus intermedius

Answer 18

anterior and lateral surfaces of body of femur

Question 19

insertion of the vastus intermedius

Answer 19

base of patella and to tibial tuberosity via patellar ligament

Question 20

innervation of the vastus intermedius

Answer 20

femoral nerve

Question 21

main action of the vastus intermedius

Answer 21

extends leg at knee joint

Question 22

blood supply of the vastus intermedius

Answer 22

lateral circumflex femoral and profunda femoris arteries

Question 23

The ________ ________ is the only extensor of the knee joint.

Answer 23

quadriceps femoris

[From https://www.kenhub.com/en/videos/vastus-medialis-3d-anatomy]

Question 24

What does musculus rectus femoris mean?

Answer 24

straight muscle of the thigh

[From https://www.kenhub.com/en/videos/rectus-femoris-muscle-3d-anatomy]

Question 25

The femoral nerve originates from the lumbar plexus, specifically the ________ ____ of the ___ through ___ lumbar nerves.

Answer 25

anterior rami
2nd through 4th lumbar nerves

[From https://www.kenhub.com/en/videos/rectus-femoris-muscle-3d-anatomy]

Question 26

The rectus femoris has a double origin on the _____. The first is a straight tendon which arises from the ________ ________ _____ _____, while the other is a reflected tendon which arises just superior to the __________.

Answer 26

ilium
anterior superior iliac spine
acetabulum

Question 27

The rectus femoris muscle is the only member of the quadriceps femoris group that crosses both the ___ and ____ joints.

Answer 27

hip and knee

[From https://www.kenhub.com/en/library/anatomy/the-quadriceps-femoris-muscle]

Question 28

Just like the femur, the proximal end of the tibia is formed by two condyles.

On each of these condyles, you have an articular area which articulates with the corresponding condyle of the femur, and these are also collectively known as the ______ _______ especially in the clinical setting. The two areas are separated by a non-articular, irregular intercondylar area with the rugged raised area called the ________ ________.

Answer 28

tibial plateau
intercondylar eminence

[From Knee Joint video transcript, https://www.kenhub.com/en/start/anatomy-knee-joint]

Question 29

The patellar ligament is strong flat band, which is actually just a continuation of the ________ _______ ______. It stretches from the apex of the patella to the tibial tuberosity. It’s joined medially by the medial patellar retinaculum and laterally by the lateral patellar retinaculum.

Answer 29

quadriceps femoris tendon

[From Knee Joint video transcript, https://www.kenhub.com/en/start/anatomy-knee-joint]

Question 30

Laterally, we have the popliteus bursa between the popliteus muscle and the lateral condyle of the tibia. Medially, you’ll find the semimembranosus bursa between the semimembranosus and the gastrocnemius tendons, and lastly, the anserine bursa.
The anserine bursa pads the area between the ___ _________ and the medial tibia. A few bursae are actually continuous with the synovial cavity and that means that if there is an infection in one of the bursae, especially the large suprapatellar bursa, it can spread into the knee joint.

Answer 30

pes anserinus

Question 31

The sartorius muscle is a long, slim, superficially running muscle, formally belonging to the extensors of the thigh. The sartorius muscle moves both the hip and knee joint.

Even though it is located in the anterior compartment of the thigh, it should not be confused as an _________ of the thigh.

Answer 31

extensor

Question 32

Name the 4 muscle groups which comprise the gluteal muscles.

Answer 32

Gluteus maximus
Gluteus medius
Gluteus minimus
Tensor fasciae latae

Question 33

The posterior hip musculature can be found underneath the gluteal muscles. The four muscles which make up the posterior hip musculature are:

Answer 33

Piriformis
Internal and external obturators
Superior and inferior gemelli
Quadratus femoris

Question 34

The gluteus maximus is the ________ extensor of the hip joint, as well as the ________ rotator of the hip joint.

Answer 34

strongest

external

Question 35

The gluteus maximum originates from 3 places:

Answer 35

the sacrum, the ilium, and the sacrotuberous ligament.

Question 36

The caudal fibers of the gluteus maximus insert at the….

Answer 36

….gluteal tuberosity of the femur.

Question 37

The cranial fibers of the gluteus maximus insert on the….

Answer 37

….iliotibial fascia (the iliotibial tract on the fascia lata).

Question 38

The gluteus maximum originates from 3 places:

Answer 38

the sacrum, the ilium, and the sacrotuberous ligament.

Question 39

The caudal fibers of the gluteus maximus insert at the….

Answer 39

….gluteal tuberosity of the femur.

Question 40

The cranial fibers of the gluteus maximus insert on the….

Answer 40

….iliotibial fascia (the iliotibial tract on the fascia lata).

Question 41

What are the functions of the gluteus maximus?

What do the cranial fibers vs what the caudal fibers do?

Answer 41

extension of the hip
external rotation of the hip
stabilization of the hip joint

The cranial fibers abduct.
The caudal fibers adduct.

Question 42

The gluteus maximus is innervated by the…

Answer 42

…inferior gluteal nerve which comes from the sacral plexus.