GROSS ANATOMY OF THE THIGH
Anatomy of the thigh
• The thigh is divided into 3 groups
of muscles called compartments.
o Anterior compartment
o Posterior compartment
o Medial compartment
• These compartments are
separated by fascia
o The anterior compartment muscles of the thigh flex the femur at the
hip and extend the lag at the knee
o The posterior compartment muscles of the thigh extend the thigh and
flex the leg
o The medial compartment muscles all adduct the thigh
Thigh Innervation
o Anterior compartment from
femoral nerve (L2,3,4)
o Medial compartment from
obturator nerve L2,3,4
o Posterior compartment from
sciatic nerve (L4,5,S1,2,3) (sacral
plexus)
Anterior Compartment
o Muscles:
o Iliopsas
o Sartorius
o Quadriceps
• Rectus femoris
• Vastus lateralis
• Vastus intrmedius
• Vastus medialis
Anterior Compartment
• Blood supply
• Femoral artery
• Superficial circumflex iliac
• Superficial epigastric
• Superficial external pudendal
• Deep external pudendal
• Descending genicular
• Deep femoral (profunda femoris)
• Lateral femoral circumflex
• Medial femoral circumflex
Anterior Compartment
o Iliopsas
- Origin – iliac fossa, sacrum,
lumbar vertebrae
- Insertion – lesser trochanter
- Action – flexor of the thigh
- - innervation – femoral nerve
o Sartorius
• - Origin – anterior superior iliac
spine
• - Insertion – medial side of
superior tibia, via pes anserinus
• - Action – flex the thigh at the
hip & flex the leg at knee
• - Innervation – femoral nerve
Quadriceps Femoris
Rectus Femoris
• Origin – anterior inferior iliac
spine
• Insertion – tibial tuberosity via
pateral ligament, part of
quadriceps femoris
• Action – flex thigh at hip &
extend leg at knee
• Innervation – femoral nerve
Vastus Medialis
• Origin – intertrochanteric line
• Insertion - tibial tuberosity via
paterllar ligament, part of
quadriceps femoris
• Action – extend leg at knee
• Innervation – femoral nerve
Vastus Lateralis
• Origin – greater trochanter
• Insertion– tibial tuberosity via
patellar ligament, part of
quadriceps femoris
• Action – extend leg at knee
• Innervation – femoral nerve
Vastus intermedius
• Origin – anterolateral surface of
femur
• Insertion – tibial tuberosity via
patella ligament, part of
quadriceps femoris
• Action – Extend leg at knee
• Innervation – femoral nerve
Medial Compartment
Muscles
• Gracilis
• Adductor longus
• Addcutor brevis
• Adductor magnus
• pectineus
Blood Supply:
Obturator artery
• Branch of internal iliac artery
Medial Compartment
Adductor longus
• Origin – medial portion of
superior pubic ramus
• Insertion – linea aspera of femur
• Action – adducts and medial
rotates the thigh
• Innervation –obturator nerve
Adductor brevis
• Origin – inferior pubic ramus
• Insertion – linea aspera of femur
• Action – adducts and medial
roates the thigh
• Innervation – obturator nerve
Adductor magnus
• Origin – ischiopubic ramus and
ischial tuberosity
• Insertion – linea aspera of femur
• Innervation – obturator nerve
Gracilis
• Origin – pubic symphysis and
inferior pubic ramus
• Insertion – medial tibia
• Action – adducts thigh, flex,
medial rotates leg
• Innervation – obturator nerve
Pectineus
• Origin – superior pubic ramus
• Insertion – lesser trochanter
• Action – adducts, medial rotates
• Innervation – femoral nerve
Posterior Compartment
Muscles
Hamstrings
• Biceps femoris
Long head
Short head
• Semimembranosus
• Semitendinosus
Adductor hiatus
Posterior Compactment
Biceps Femoris (2 heads)
• Origin – ischial tuberosity (long
head), linea aspera (short head)
• Insertion – lateral tibia, head of
fibula
• Action – Thigh extension, knee
flexion, lateral rotation
• Innervation - short head - common
fibular nerve, branch of sciatic
nerve.
• - Long head – tibia nerve, branch of
sciatic nerve.
Semitendinosus
Semimembranosus
• Origin - ischial tuberosity
• Insertion – medial tibia
• Action – thigh extension, knee
flexion, medial rotation
• Innervation – tibial branch of
sciatic nerve
