The

How Much Do We Need To Know On Muscles?

Guide!

S Porter

Every year students ask me how much detail they need to know on muscles, the tables
below give you the absolute minimum that you need to know to have a fighting chance of
passing

Lower Limb Muscles

This is the least that you need to know for your exams, but if you learn more, then it will
not be wasted.
Muscle

Origin

Insertion

Action

Gluteus maximus

outer surface
of ilium,
sacrum,
coccyx,
sacrotuberous
ligament

75% iliotibial
tract and 25%
gluteal
tuberosity of
femur

extends & laterally rotates thigh;

through iliotibial tract, it extends
knee joint

Gluteus medius

outer surface
of ilium

greater
trochanter

abducts thigh. Tilts pelvis when

walking

Gluteus minimus

outer surface
of ilium

greater
trochanter

abduct thigh; anterior fibers

medially rotate thigh

Tensor fasciae latae

iliac crest

iliotibial tract

assists gluteus mx in locking the

knee into full extension

Piriformis
Superior gemellus
Obturator internus
Inferior gemellus
Pectineus
Obturator externus

lateral rotator of thigh

lateral rotator of thigh
lateral rotator of thigh
lateral rotator of thigh
lateral rotator of thigh

lateral rotator of thigh

Sartorius

anterior
superior iliac
spine

flexes, abducts, laterally rotates

upper medial
hip flexes knee like looking at
surface of tibia
the sole of your own foot.

iliac fossa

lesser
trochanter

Iliacus

Psoas

12th thoracic
body;
transverse
process,
bodies &
intervertebral
discs of the 5
lumbar
vertebrae

lesser
trochanter
along with
iliacus

flexes thigh on trunk; if thigh is

fixed, it flexes the trunk onto the
thigh as in doing a sit up

flexes thigh on trunk; if thigh

fixed, it flexes trunk onto thigh as
in doing a sit up

Rectus femoris

straight head
from anterior
inferior iliac
spine; reflected
head from ilium
above
acetabulum

Vastus lateralis

quadriceps
tendon into
upper end and patella; into
extension of knee
shaft of femur tibial tuberosity
by patellar
tendon

Vastus medialis

into tibial
upper end and
tuberosity by
extension of knee
shaft of femur
patellar tendon

quadriceps
tendon into
patella; into
extension of knee
tibial tuberosity
by patellar
tendon

quadriceps
tendon into
patella; into
extension of knee
tibial tuberosity
by patellar
tendon

Vastus intermedius

shaft of femur

Gracilis

upper part of
inferior ramus
shaft of tibia
of pubis; ramus
on medial
of ischium
surface
posterior
surface of
shaft of femur

adducts thigh

adducts thigh; assists in lateral

rotation

Adductor longus

body of pubis

Adductor brevis

inferior ramus
of pubis

Adductor magnus

posterior
surface of
inferior ramus
shaft of femur
of pubis; ramus
near linea
of ischium,
aspera;
ischial
adductor
tuberosity
tubercle of
femur

adducts thigh and assists in

lateral rotation; hamstring part
extends thigh

Biceps femoris

long head
ischial
tuberosity;
short head
shaft of femur

head of fibula

flexes and laterally rotates leg;

long head extends thigh

Semitendinosus

ischial
tuberosity

upper part
flexes and medially rotates leg;
medial surface
extends thigh
of shaft of tibia

Semimembranosus

ischial
tuberosity

medial condyle
flexes and medially rotates leg;
of tibia; forms
extends thigh
oblique

posterior
surface of
shaft of femur

adducts thigh; assists in lateral

rotation

popliteal
ligament

Tibialis anterior

Extensor digitorum

shaft of tibia
and
interosseous
membrane

shaft of fibula
and
interosseous
membrane

medial
cuneiform &
base of first
metatarsal
extensor
expansion of
lateral four
toes

extends toes; dorsiflexes

(extends) foot

dorsiflexes (extends) foot; everts

foot at subtalar and transverse
tarsal joints

Peroneus tertius

Extensor hallucis
longus

extends the foot; inverts foot at

subtalar and transverse tarsal
joints; supports medial
longitudinal arch

extends big toe; dorsiflexes

shaft of fibula base of distal
(extends) foot; inverts foot at
& interosseous phalanx of big
subtalar and transverse tarsal
membrane
toe
joints

shaft of fibula

base of 1st
metatarsal &
medial
cuneiform

plantar flexes foot; everts foot at

subtalar & transverse tarsal
joints; supports lateral
longitudinal and transverse
arches of foot

Peroneus brevis

shaft of fibula

base of 5th
metatarsal
bone

plantar flexes foot; everts foot at

subtalar & transverse tarsal
joints; supports lateral
longitudinal arch

Gastrocnemius

medial and
lateral
condyles of
femur

by way of
Achilles
tendon to
calcaneum

plantar flexes ankle, flexes knee

Plantaris

lateral
supracondylar
ridge of femur

Soleus

shafts of tibia
and fibula

Popliteus

lateral condyle
shaft of tibia
of femur

Flexor digitorum
longus

shaft of tibia

Peroneus longus

plantar flexes foot; flexes knee

by way of
achilles tendon powerful plantar flexor of ankle
into calcaneum

distal
phalanges of
lateral four

flexes knee, unlocks knee by

laterally rotating femur on tibia
flexes distal phalanges of lateral
four toes; plantar flexes,supports
medial and lateral longitudinal

toes

arches

Flexor hallucis
longus

shaft of fibula

base of distal flexes distal phalanx of big toe;

phalanx of big plantar flexes foot; supports
toe
medial longitudinal arch

Tibialis posterior

shafts of tibia
and fibula &
interosseous
membrane

tuberosity of
navicular

calcaneum

by four
tendons into
the proximal
phalanx of big
toe and long
extends toes,( looks like a bruise
extensor
on top of the foot
tendons to
2nd, 3rd and
4th toes

Extensor digitorum
brevis

plantar flexes foot; inverts foot at

subtalar and transverse tarsal
joints; supports medial
longitudinal arch of foot