Rectus femoris

muscle

The rectus femoris muscle is one of the

four quadriceps muscles of the human
body. The others are the vastus medialis,
the vastus intermedius (deep to the
rectus femoris), and the vastus lateralis.
All four parts of the quadriceps muscle
attach to the patella (knee cap) via the
quadriceps tendon.
 Rectus femoris muscle

Muscles of the iliac and anterior femoral

regions. (Rectus femoris visible near center.)

Details
Pronunciation /ˈrɛktəs ˈfɛmərɪs/

Origin anterior inferior iliac

spine and the exterior
surface of the bony
ridge which forms the
groove on the iliac
portion of the
acetabulum

Insertion inserts into the patellar

tendon as one of the
four quadriceps
muscles

Artery descending branch of

the lateral femoral
circumflex artery

Nerve femoral nerve

Actions knee extension; hip

flexion

Antagonist Hamstring
Antagonist Hamstring

Identifiers

Latin Musculus rectus

femoris

TA A04.7.02.018

FMA 22430

Anatomical terms of muscle

The rectus femoris is situated in the

middle of the front of the thigh; it is
fusiform in shape, and its superficial
fibers are arranged in a bipenniform
manner, the deep fibers running straight
(Latin: rectus) down to the deep
aponeurosis. Its functions are to flex the
thigh at the hip joint and to extend the leg
at the knee joint.[1]
Structure
It arises by two tendons: one, the anterior
or straight, from the anterior inferior iliac
spine; the other, the posterior or
reflected, from a groove above the rim of
the acetabulum.

The two unite at an acute angle and

spread into an aponeurosis which is
prolonged downward on the anterior
surface of the muscle, and from this the
muscular fibres arise.

The muscle ends in a broad and thick

aponeurosis which occupies the lower
two-thirds of its posterior surface, and,
gradually becoming narrowed into a
flattened tendon, is inserted into the base
of the patella.

Nerve supply

The neurons for voluntary thigh

contraction originate near the summit of
the medial side of the precentral gyrus
(the primary motor area of the brain).
These neurons send a nerve signal that
is carried by the corticospinal tract down
the brainstem and spinal cord. The signal
starts with the upper motor neurons
carrying the signal from the precentral
gyrus down through the internal capsule,
through the cerebral peduncle, and into
the medulla. In the medullary pyramid,
the corticospinal tract decussates and
becomes the lateral corticospinal tract.
The nerve signal will continue down the
lateral corticospinal tract until it reaches
spinal nerve L4. At this point, the nerve
signal will synapse from the upper motor
neurons to the lower motor neurons. The
signal will travel through the anterior root
of L4 and into the anterior rami of the L4
nerve, leaving the spinal cord through the
lumbar plexus. The posterior division of
the L4 root is the Femoral nerve. The
femoral nerve innervates the quadriceps
femoris, a fourth of which is the rectus
femoris. When the rectus femoris
receives the signal that has traveled all
the way from the medial side of the
precentral gyrus, it contracts, extending
the knee and flexing the thigh at the
hip.[2]

Function
The rectus femoris, sartorius, and
iliopsoas are the flexors of the thigh at
the hip. The rectus femoris is a weaker
hip flexor when the knee is extended
because it is already shortened and thus
suffers from active insufficiency; the
action will recruit more iliacus, psoas
major, tensor fasciae latae, and the
remaining hip flexors than it will the
rectus femoris.
Similarly, the rectus femoris is not
dominant in knee extension when the hip
is flexed since it is already shortened and
thus suffers from active insufficiency. In
essence: the action of extending the
knee from a seated position is primarily
driven by the vastus lateralis, vastus
medialis, and vastus intermedius, and
less by the rectus femoris.

In the other extreme, the muscle's ability

to flex the hip and extend the knee can
be compromised in a position of full hip
extension and knee flexion, due to
passive insufficiency.

The rectus femoris is a direct antagonist

to the hamstrings, at the hip and at the
knee.

Clinical significance
Strain

Rectus femoris strain, referred to as hip

flexor strain,[3] is an injury commonly at
the tendon that attaches to the patella or
in the muscle itself. The injury is usually
a partial tear but could be a full tear. The
injury is caused by a forceful movement
related to sprinting, jumping, or kicking
and is common in sports like football or
soccer. The rectus femoris is prone to
injury since it crosses both the knee and
the hip. Symptoms include a sudden
sharp pain at the front of the hip or in the
groin, swelling and bruising, and an
inability to contract the rectus femoris
with a full tear.[4]

References
This article incorporates text in the public
domain from page 470 of the 20th
edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

1. Sportsmedicine: Rectus Femoris .

Sportsmedicine.about.com. Retrieved on
2015-09-30.
2. Anatomy and Physiology: The Unity of
Form and Function, Saladin, 5th ed.
3. Geier, David (2011-01-18) Rectus
Femoris Strain (“Hip Flexor Strain”) | Dr.
David Geier – Sports Medicine
Simplified . drdavidgeier.com.
4. A Rare Form of Soccer Injury – Rectus
Femoris Tendon Rupture – Orthopaedic
Information | Singapore .
Orthopaedic.com.sg. Retrieved on 2015-
09-30.

External links
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