What You Need To Know about Thigh Anatomy
As mentioned briefly above, the thigh has various muscles. They are:
- Quadriceps femoris: This is a group of muscles that include the rectus femoris, the vastus lateralis, and the vastus medialis. It stabilizes the patella, and when it is active, it causes hip flexion and knee extension. The rectus femoris extends the hip and flexes the knee. The vastus medialis is responsible for flexing the knee and rotating the leg. The vastus lateralis is the largest of the muscles in the quadriceps femoris group.
- Sartorius: It is a large muscle that originates at the sacrum and inserts into the upper leg. The sartorius muscle functions to flex the hip and the knee. It also rotates the thigh externally. A fun fact, the sartorius is the longest muscle in the body.
- Pectineus: This muscle is quite different from other elongated structures. It is a triangular and flat muscle. Despite being so small compared to the rest of the leg muscles, it is responsible for flexing the hip and moving the leg towards your body (adduction).
When any of these muscles become injured, you may experience sensory abnormalities such as tingling, numbness, cramping, or pain in the area. You may also experience motor problems such as stiffness, muscle weakness, or inability to extend the hip or flex the knee.