A GUIDE TO THE MUSCLES OF THE LOWER LIMB

Category

Muscle

Function

Origin

Gluteal Region

Gluteus maximus

Hip extensor
Lateral rotator (H)

Suface of ilium,
sacrum and
coccyx

Gluteus medius

Hip abductor
Medial rotator (H)
Hip abductor
Medial rotator (H)
Assists glut.max to
extend knee

Gluteus minimus
Tensor Fascia
Latae
Pelvic Region

Insertion

Nerve

Blood Supply

Iliotibial tract
and gluteal
tuberosity of the
femur
Surface of ilium Greater
trochanter
Surface of ilium Greater
trochanter
Outer surface of Iliotibial tract
ilium

Inferior
gluteal
(L5, S1, S2)

Inf. & Sup. Gluteal

Superior
gluteal
Superior
gluteal
Superior
gluteal

Superior gluteal

Inferior
gluteal

Inf. & Sup. Gluteal

Sacral
plexus
Sacral
plexus
Sacral
plexus
Sacral
plexus

Inf. & Sup. Gluteal

Obturator

Med. circumflex
femoral & Obturator

Gluteus maximus

Hip extensor
Lateral rotator (H)

Surface of
ilium, sacrum
and coccyx

Iliotibial tract
and gluteal
tuberosity of
femur
Greater
trochanter
Greater
trochanter
Greater
trochanter
Greater
trochanter

Piriformis

Lateral rotator (H)

Sacrum

Superior gemellus

Lateral rotator (H)

Ischial spine

Inferior gemellus

Lateral rotator (H)

Obturator internus

Lateral rotator (H)

Obturator externus

Lateral rotator (H)

Ischial
tuberosity
Inner surface of
obturator
foramen
Outer surface of Greater
obturator
trochanter
foramen

Superior gluteal
Superior gluteal

Inf. Gluteal
Inf. Gluteal
Inf. Gluteal

Page 1

Category

Muscle

Function

Origin

Insertion

Nerve

Blood Supply

Anterior Thigh

Pectineus

Hip Flexor
Hip Adductor

Pubic ramus

Upper medial
femur

Femoral

Med. Circumflex
femoral & Obturator

Sartorius

Hip Flexor
Hip Abductor
Lateral Rotator (H)
Knee extensor
Hip Flexor
Hip Extensor
Lateral rotator (H)
Hip Extensor
Lateral rotator (H)
Hip Extensor
Lateral rotator (H)
Hip Extensor
Lateral rotator (H)

Anterior
superior iliac
spine

Upper medial
tibia

Femoral

Femoral

Upper shaft of
femur

Patellar ligament

Femoral

Lateral circumflex
femoral

Upper shaft of
femur
Upper shaft of
femur
Upper shaft of
femur

Patellar ligament

Femoral

Femoral

Patellar ligament

Femoral

Patellar ligament

Femoral

Lateral circumflex
femoral
Lateral circumflex
femoral

Rectus femoris
Vastus medialis
Vastus lateralis
Vastus intermedius

Page 2

Category

Muscle

Function

Origin

Insertion

Nerve

Blood Supply

Medial Thigh

Gracilis

Knee Flexor
Hip Adductor
Hip Adductor
Lateral rotator (H)
Hip Adductor
Lateral rotator (H)
Hip Adductor
Lateral rotator (H)

Pubic ramus

Upper medial
tibia
Posterior surface
of shaft of femur
Posterior surface
of shaft of femur
Posterior surface
of shaft of femur

Obturator

Med circumflex
femoral & obturator
Med circumflex
femoral & obturator
Med circumflex
femoral & obturator
Med circumflex
femoral & obturator

Hip Extensor
Knee Flexor
Hip Extensor
Knee Flexor
Hip Extensor
Knee Flexor
Lateral rotator (H)
Knee Flexor
Lateral rotator (H)
Hip Extensor

Ischial
tuberosity
Ischial
tuberosity
Ischial
tuberosity

Medial condyle
of tibia
Medial condyle
of tibia
Fibular head

Tibial

Lateral shaft of
femur
Ischial
Tuberosity

Fibular head

Fibular

Medial shaft of
femur (adductor
tubercle)

Tibial

Adductor magnus
Adductor brevis
Adductor Longus

Posterior Thigh

Semitendinosus
Semimembranosus
Long head of
biceps femoris
Short head of
biceps femoris
Hamstring part of
adductor magnus

Pubic ramus
Pubic ramus
Pubic ramus

Obturator
Obturator
Obturator

Tibial
Tibial

Perforating br. Of
deep femoral
Perforating br. Of
deep femoral
Perforating br. Of
deep femoral
Perforating br. Of
deep femoral
Perforating br. Of
deep femoral

Page 3

Category

Muscle

Function

Origin

Insertion

Nerve

Blood Supply

Posterior Leg

Gastrocnemius

Plantarflexion (A)
Knee Flexor

Sural br. Of
popliteus

Plantarflexion (A)
Knee Flexor
Plantarflexion (A)

Calcaneum
(via Achilles
tendon)
Calcaeneum

Tibial

Plantaris

Medial and
lateral condyles
of femur
Lateral femur

Tibial

Sural br of popliteus

Shafts of tibia
and fibula

Calcaeneum

Tibial

Sural br of popliteus
& posterior tibial

Soleus

Dorsum of Foot

Popliteus

Unlocks knee by
lateral rotation

Lateral femur

Shaft of tibia

Tibial

Posterior tibial

Flexor digitorum
longus
Flexor hallucis
longus
Tibialis posterior

Plantarflexion (A)
Flexes toes 2-5
Plantarflexion (A)
Flexes toe 1
Plantarflexion (A)
Inversion

Shaft of tibia

Phalanges of toes Tibial

# 2-5
Phalanx of toe #1 Tibial

Posterior tibial

Shaft of tibia,
fibula
(interosseous
membrane)

Navicular

Tibial

Posterior tibial

Extensor digitorum
brevis

Extensor of toes

Calcaeneum

Proximal
phalanx of toes
1-5

Deep fibular

Dorsalis pedis

Shaft of fibula

Posterior tibial

Page 4

Category

Muscle

Function

Origin

Insertion

Nerve

Blood Supply

Lateral Leg

Fibularis longus

Plantarflexion (A)
Eversion

Shaft of fibula

Superficial
fibular

Anterior tibial

Fibularis brevis

Plantarflexion (A)
Eversion

Shaft of fibula

Metatarsal of toe
#1 & medial
cuneiform
Metatarsal of toe
#5

Superficial
fibular

Anterior tibial

Tibialis anterior

Dorsiflexion (A)
Extensor of toes

Extensor hallucis
longus

Dorsiflexion (A)
Extensor of toes

Shaft of tibia +
interosseous
membrane
Shaft of fibula

Anterior Leg

Extensor digitorum Dorsiflexion (A)

longus
Extensor of toes
Fibularis tertius

Dorsiflexion (A)
Eversion

Medial
cuneiform/first
metatarsal
Distal phalanx
of toe #1
(dorsum)
Shaft of fibula
Extensor
expansion of
lateral 4 toes
Lateral inf. part of Base of
ext. dig. Longus
metatarsal of
(shaft of fibula)
toe #5

Deep fibular Anterior tibial

Deep fibular Anterior tibial
Deep fibular Anterior tibial
Deep fibular Anterior tibial

Page 5

Category

Muscle

Function

Origin

Insertion

Nerve

Blood Supply

Plantar Foot
Level 1

Abductor hallucis

Abducts toe #1
Flexes toe #1

Medial tubercle
of calcaeneum

Flexes toes

Medial tubercle
of calcaeneum

Abductor digiti
minimi

Abducts toe # 5

Calcaeneum

Medial
plantar
(Tibial)
Medial
plantar
(Tibial)
Medial
plantar
(Tibial)

Medial plantar
(post. Tibial)

Flexor digitorum
brevis

Medial side of
phalanx of toe
#1
Middle
phalanx of
toes #2-5
Lateral base of
phalanx #5

Quadratus plantae

Laterally pulls flexor Calcaeneum

digitorum longus
tendon (helps flex
lateral four toes)
Extends toes at
Tendons of flexor
interphalangeal joints digitorum longus

Tendons of
flexor
digitarum
longus
Dorsal
extensor
expansion of
toes #2-5

Lateral
plantar
(Tibial)

Posterior Tibial

Lateral
plantar

Lateral plantar
(post. Tibial)

Level 2
Lumbricals

Flexor digitorum
longus tendon

Medial plantar
(post. Tibial)
Lateral plantar
(post. Tibial)

Passes in the
sustentaculum tali
and crosses with the
flexor hallucis longus
tendon

Page 6

Category

Muscle

Function

Origin

Level 3

Flexor hallucis
brevis

Flexes big toe

Adductor hallucis

Adducts big toe

Flexor digiti
minimi

Flexes pinky toe

Insertion

Nerve

Blood Supply

Cuboid/cuneiform Base of
proximal
phalanx of toe
#1
Bases of
Lateral side of
metatarsal bones
proximal
phalanx of big
toe #1
Base of
Lateral side of
metatarsal bone
the proximal
#5
phalanx of toe
#5

Medial
plantar
(Tibial)

Medial plantar
(post. Tibial)

Tibial

Medial plantar
(post. Tibial)

Lateral
plantar

Lateral plantar
(post. Tibial)

Lateral
plantar

Lateral plantar
(post. Tibial)

Lateral
plantar

Lateral plantar
(post. Tibial)

Flexor hallucis
longus tendon
Level 4

Dorsal interossei 4

Adduct toes with toe

#2 as reference

Metatarsal bones

Plantar interossei 3

Adduct toes with toe

#2 as reference

Metatarsal bones

Phlanges and
dorsal
expansion of
the
corresponding
toes
Phlanages and
dorsal
expansion of
corresponding
toes

Page 7