back of thigh

Question 1

List the contents of the posterior compartment of the thigh

Answer 1

1. Hamstring muscles
2. Short head of biceps
3. Sciatic nerve
4. Posterior cutaneous nerve of thigh
5. Arterial anastomosis

Question 2

List the hamstring muscles and state their attachments, innervation and actions.

Answer 2

Hamstring Muscles:
1. Semitendinosus

2. Semimembranosus
3. Biceps femoris (long head)
4. Ischial fibres of adductor magnus.

All Actions:
→ Extension of the thigh and flexion of the knee joint. Two actions cannot be performed maximally at the same
→ Extension of the hip in relaxed standing position. Person w/ paralyzed hamstrings tends to follow forward as the gluteus maximus cannot maintain the necesseary muscle to stand straight
→ Main extensors of the hip while walking on flat ground
→ When knee is flexed, it assists with medial (synergists, medial hamstrings) and lateral (w/ TFL) rotation of the tibia

Question 3

Semimembranosus

Answer 3

2. Semimembranosus
   P.A → Upper and lateral part of the quadrilateral area of ischial tuberosity
   D.A → Horizontal groove on the posterior surface of medial condyle of tibia, deep to the tibial collateral ligament.
   N → Sciatic Nerve (L4, L5, S1, S2, S3) Tibial part

Question 4

Biceps femoris (long head)

Answer 4

3. Biceps femoris (long head)
   P.A → Long hed from lower and medial part of quadrilateral area of ischial tuberosity. SHort head from lower part of lateral lip of linear aspera
   P.D → Both attach to the hea dof fibula by slip of attachment to lateral condyle of tibia.
   N → Sciatic Nerve (L4, L5, S1, S2, S3) Tibial part. Common peroneal part for the short head of biceps femoris

Question 5

Ischial fibres of adductor magnus.

Answer 5

4. Ischial fibres of adductor magnus.
   P.A → Inferolateral part of the ischial tuberosity
   D.A → Descends almost vertically downward to be inserted on the adductor tubercle.
   N → Sciatic Nerve (L4, L5, S1, S2, S3) Tibial part

Question 6

1. Semitendinosus

Answer 6

1. Semitendinosus
   P.A → Ischial tuberosity
   D.A → Medial surface of superior part of tibia
   N → Sciatic Nerve (L4, L5, S1, S2, S3) Tibial part

Question 7

Describe the clinical and applied aspects of the back of the thigh

Answer 7

1. The test for the hamstrings
   - Ask the patient to flex their leg against resistance.
   - The tendons on each side of the popliteal fossa should be prominent as they bend their knee.