Posterior Thigh And Popliteal Fossa

Question 1

What is the common proximal attachment (origin) of the posterior thigh muscles?

Answer 1

Ischial tuberosity 
(Except short head of biceps femoris)

Question 2

What is the common innervation for posterior thigh muscles?

Answer 2

Tibial division of sciatic nerve

Except short head of biceps femoris

Question 3

What are the functions of posterior thigh muscles?

Answer 3

Thigh extension (except short head of biceps femoris)
Leg flexion (all four muscles)

Question 4

What is the unique characteristic of the semitendinosus muscle?

Answer 4

Long cordlike tendon that begins 2/3 of the way down the thigh

Question 5

What is the insertion site for semitendinosus?

Answer 5

Medial surface of superior aspect of tibia

Question 6

What is the insertion site for semimembranosus?

Answer 6

Posterior part of medial condyle of tibia

Question 7

The distal tendon of the semimembranosus muscle divides into two parts. What are those two divisions?

Answer 7

To medial tibial condyle
Part blends with popliteal fossa and becomes oblique popliteal ligament (reinforces the intercondylar part of joint capsule)

Question 8

What is the function for the short head of biceps femoris?

Answer 8

Only flexes leg

Question 9

What is the short head of biceps femoris innervated by?

Answer 9

Common fibular division of sciatic nerve

Question 10

What is the origin of short head of biceps femoris?

Answer 10

Distal lateral lip of linea aspera

Question 11

What is the common insertion for both short and long heads of the biceps femoris?

Answer 11

Head of the fibula

Question 12

What is the insertion site for the adductor magnus (hamstring portion)

Answer 12

Adductor tubercle on the medial epicondyle of the femur

Question 13

What is the superomedial boundary of the popliteal fossa?

Answer 13

Semitendinosus and semimembranosus

Question 14

What is the superolateral boundary of the popliteal fossa?

Answer 14

Biceps femoris

Question 15

What is the inferolateral boundary of the popliteal fossa?

Answer 15

Lateral head of gastrocnemius

Question 16

What is the inferomedial boundary of the popliteal fossa?

Answer 16

Medial head of gastrocnemius

Question 17

What are the contents of the popliteal fossa from superficial to deep?

Answer 17

Nerves
Popliteal vein, LNs and branches
Popliteal artery and branches

Question 18

What is the deepest structure in the popliteal fossa?

Answer 18

Popliteal artery

Question 19

When does the femoral artery become the popliteal artery?

Answer 19

After passing through the adductor hiatus

Question 20

What does the popliteal artery run close to?

Answer 20

The knee joint capsule and gives rise to genicular branches

Question 21

What do the genicular branches of the popliteal artery participate in?

Answer 21

Formation of the genicular anastomosis

Question 22

Why is the genicular anastomosis important?

Answer 22

It is an important collateral circulation bypassing the popliteal artery when the knee is fully flexed too long or when popliteal vessels are narrowed/occluded

Question 23

What do genicular branches of the popliteal artery supply?

Answer 23

Articular capsule and ligaments of the knee joint

Question 24

Which arteries are involved in the genicular anastomosis?

Answer 24

Branches from the descending genicular artery
Superior and inferior lateral genicular, superior and inferior medial genicular and middle genicular arteries
Anterior tibial recurrent A
Descending genicular from lateral circumflex femoral A

Question 25

What are the terminal branches of the popliteal artery?

Answer 25

Anterior and posterior tibial arteries

Question 26

The popliteal vein is formed by the union of what?

Answer 26

Anterior and posterior tibial veins usually near the inferior border of the popliteus muscle

Question 27

Which vein terminates into the popliteal vein?

Answer 27

Small saphenous vein

Question 28

Where does the popliteal vein lie?

Answer 28

Lies superificial to and in same fibrous sheath as popliteal artery

Question 29

When does the popliteal vein become the femoral vein?

Answer 29

After traversing the adductor hiatus

Question 30

Where does the sciatic nerve usually end?

Answer 30

At superior angle of popliteal fossa where it divides into the tibial and common fibular nerves

Question 31

What is the distribution of the tibial nerve?

Answer 31

Superficial and deep posterior leg muscles | Knee joint

Question 32

Where does the common fibular nerve leave the popliteal fossa?

Answer 32

By passing superficial to the lateral head of gastrocnemius then winds around the head and neck of the fibula (susceptible to injury)

Question 33

Where does the common fibular nerve terminate?

Answer 33

Deep to fibularis longs into deep and superficial fibular nerves

Question 34

What is the sural nerve composed of?

Answer 34

Medial sural cutaneous nerve from the tibial nerve | Sural (or fibular) communicating branch from the common fibular nerve or the lateral sural cutaneous nerve

Question 35

What cutaneous nerve is present in the popliteal fossa?

Answer 35

Sural nerve

Question 36

What nerve is present in the popliteal fossa?

Answer 36

Sciatic nerve

Question 37

What structure does the sural nerve run with?

Answer 37

Runs inferiorly with small saphenous vein

Question 38

What does the sural nerve supply?

Answer 38

Distal posterior aspect of the leg and lateral aspect of ankle and foot

Question 39

In what population are hamstring injuries common in and what are they often the result of?

Answer 39

Common in individuals who run and/or kick hard | Often results from inadequate warm up before activity

Question 40

What causes the tear in hamstring injuries?

Answer 40

The violent muscular exertion required to excel in these sports may tear part of the proximal tendinous attachments of the hamstrings to the ischial tuberosity Often so painful that the person falls and writhes in pain when they move or stretch

Question 41

What occurs with complete section of the sciatic nerve?

Answer 41

The leg is useless because extension of the hip is impaired as is flexion of the leg All ankle and foot movements are also lost

Question 42

What occurs with incomplete section of the sciatic nerve (e.g. from stab wounds)?

Answer 42

May involve the inferior gluteal and/or posterior femoral cutaneous nerve Recovery from lesion of the sciatic nerve is slow and usually incomplete

Question 43

What can occur with wounds or surgery to the medial side (danger side) of the buttocks?

Answer 43

It may injure the sciatic nerve and its branches to the hamstrings on the posterior thigh Paralysis of these muscles results in impairment of thigh extension and leg flexion

Question 44

What is the “side of safety” for the sciatic nerve?

Answer 44

Operations or wound on the lateral side usually will not injure the sciatic nerve