Muscles of the Lower Extremity
MUSCLE INNERVATION MAIN ACTIONS MUSCLE GROUP
Abductor digiti minimi Lateral plantar nerve Abducts and flexes 5th digit Foot - Layer 1
Abductor hallucis Medial plantar nerve Abducts and flexes 1st digit Foot - Layer 1
Adductor brevis Obturator nerve Adducts thigh at hip, weak hip flexor Thigh - Medial
Adducts 1st digit, maintains Adductor hallucis Deep branch of lateral plantar nerve Foot - Layer 3 transverse arch of foot
Adductor longus Obturator nerve (anterior division) Adducts thigh at hip Thigh - Medial
Adductor part: obturator nerve Adductor part: adducts and flexes Adductor magnus Hamstring part: sciatic nerve (tibial thigh Thigh - Medial division) Hamstring part: extends thigh
Pulls suprapatellar bursa superiorly Articularis genus Femoral nerve Thigh - Anterior with extension of knee Long head: sciatic nerve (tibial division) (L5–S2) Flexes and laterally rotates leg, Biceps femoris Thigh - Posterior Short head: sciatic nerve (common extends thigh at hip fibular division) Abduct 2nd through 4th toes, flex Dorsal interossei (four muscles) Lateral plantar nerve metatarsophalangeal joints, and Foot - Layer 4 extend phalanges Aids the extensor digitorum longus in Extensor digitorum brevis and extending of 4 medial digits at the Deep fibular nerve Foot - Dorsum extensor hallucis brevis metatarsophalangeal and interphalangeal joints
Extends lateral four digits and Extensor digitorum longus Deep fibular nerve Leg - Anterior dorsiflexes foot at ankle Extends great toe, dorsiflexes foot at Extensor hallucis longus Deep fibular nerve Leg - Anterior ankle Everts foot and weakly plantarflexes Fibularis peroneus brevis Superficial fibular nerve Leg - Lateral foot at ankle Everts foot and weakly plantarflexes Fibularis peroneus longus Superficial fibular nerve Leg - Lateral foot at ankle Dorsiflexes foot at ankle and aids in Fibularis peroneus tertius Deep fibular nerve Leg - Anterior eversion of foot Superficial branch of lateral plantar Flexor digiti minimi brevis Flexes proximal phalanx of 5th digit Foot - Layer 3 nerve
Flexor digitorum brevis Medial plantar nerve Flexes 2nd through 5th digits Foot - Layer 1
Flexes lateral four digits and Flexor digitorum longus Tibial nerve plantarflexes foot at ankle; supports Leg - Posterior longitudinal arches of foot
Flexor hallucis brevis Medial plantar nerve Flexes proximal phalanx of 1st digit Foot - Layer 3
Flexes all joints of great toe, weakly Flexor hallucis longus Tibial nerve Leg - Posterior plantarflexes foot at ankle
Plantarflexes foot at ankle joint, Gastrocnemius Tibial nerve assists in flexion of knee joint, raises Leg - Posterior heel during walking
Extends flexed thigh, assists in lateral Gluteus maximus Inferior gluteal nerve Gluteal region rotation, and abducts thigh
Abducts and medially rotates thigh at Gluteus medius Superior gluteal nerve hips; steadies pelvis on leg when Gluteal region opposite leg is raised Abducts and medially rotates thigh at Gluteus minimus Superior gluteal nerve hips; steadies pelvis on leg when Gluteal region opposite leg is raised Adducts thigh, flexes and medially Gracilis Obturator nerve Thigh - Medial rotates leg
Page 1 of 2 Muscles of the Lower Extremity
MUSCLE INNERVATION MAIN ACTIONS MUSCLE GROUP
Flexes hip and stabilizes hip joint; acts Iliacus Femoral nerve Posterior abdominal wall with psoas major
Flexes thigh at hips and stabilizes hip Iliacus (Iliopsoas) Femoral nerve Thigh - Anterior joint, acts with psoas major Laterally rotates extended thigh at Inferior gamellus Nerve to quadratus femoris Gluteal region the hip Flexes proximal phalanges at MTP Medial one: medial plantar nerve Lumbricals joint, extends phalanges at PIP and Foot - Layer 2 Lateral three : lateral plantar nerve DIP joints Laterally rotates thigh, stabilizes head Obturator externus Obturator nerve Thigh - Medial of femur in acetabulum Laterally rotates extended thigh, Obturator internus Nerve to obturator internus Gluteal region abducts flexed thigh at hip Femoral nerve and sometimes Pectineus Adducts and flexes thigh at hip Thigh - Medial obturator nerve Laterally rotates extended thigh, Piriformis Ventral rami of L5, S1, S2 Gluteal region abducts flexed thigh at hip Adduct digits (2–4) and flex Plantar interossei (three muscles) Lateral plantar nerve metatarsophalangeal joint and extend Foot - Layer 4 phalanges
Plantaris Tibial nerve Weakly assists gastrocnemius Leg - Posterior
Weakly flexes knee and unlocks it by Popliteus Tibial nerve (L4–S1) Leg - Posterior rotating femur on fixed tibia
Acting superiorly with iliacus, flexes hip; acting inferiorly, flexes vertebral Ventral rami of first four lumbar Psoas major column laterally; used to balance Posterior abdominal wall nerves trunk in sitting position; acting inferiorly with iliacus, flexes trunk
Acting superiorly with iliacus, flexes hip; acting inferiorly, flexes vertebral Psoas major (Iliopsoas) Ventral rami of first lumbar nerve column laterally; used to balance Thigh - Anterior trunk in sitting position; acting inferiorly with iliacus, flexes trunk
Quadratus femoris Nerve to quadratus femoris Laterally rotates thigh at hip Gluteal region Corrects for oblique pull of flexor Quadratus plantae Lateral plantar nerve digitorum longus tendon, thus assists Foot - Layer 2 in flexion of toes Extends leg at knee joint and flexes Rectus femoris (quadriceps) Femoral nerve Thigh - Anterior thigh at hip joint Abducts, laterally rotates, and flexes Sartorius Femoral nerve Thigh - Anterior thigh; flexes knee joint
Semimembranosus Sciatic nerve (tibial division) Flexes leg, extends thigh Thigh - Posterior
Semitendinosus Sciatic nerve (tibial division) Flexes leg, extends thigh Thigh - Posterior
Plantarflexes foot at ankle, stabilizes Soleus Tibial nerve Leg - Posterior leg over foot Laterally rotates extended thigh at Superior gemellus Nerve to obturator internus Gluteal region the hip Abducts, medially rotates, and flexes Tensor fasciae latae Superior gluteal nerve thigh at hip; helps to keep knee Gluteal region extended Dorsiflexes foot at ankle and inverts Tibialis anterior Deep fibular nerve Leg - Anterior foot
Plantarflexes foot at ankle and inverts Tibialis posterior Tibial nerve Leg - Posterior foot
Vastus intermedius (quadriceps) Femoral nerve Extends leg at knee joint Thigh - Anterior
Vastus lateralis (quadriceps) Femoral nerve Extends leg at knee joint Thigh - Anterior
Vastus medialis (quadriceps) Femoral nerve Extends leg at knee joint Thigh - Anterior
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