A GUIDE TO THE MUSCLES OF THE LOWER LIMB

Category Muscle

Function

Origin

Insertion Nerve

Blood
Supply

Gluteal
Region

Hip extensor
Lateral rotator
(H)

Suface of
ilium, sacrum
and coccyx

Inferior
gluteal
(L5, S1,
S2)
Superior
gluteal

Inf. & Sup.

Gluteal

Pelvic
Region

Gluteus
maximus

Gluteus medius Hip abductor

Medial rotator
(H)
Gluteus
Hip abductor
minimus
Medial rotator
(H)
Tensor Fascia
Assists
Latae
glut.max to
extend knee

Surface of
ilium

Iliotibial tract
and gluteal
tuberosity of
the femur
Greater
trochanter

Surface of
ilium

Greater
trochanter

Superior
gluteal

Superior gluteal

Outer surface
of ilium

Iliotibial tract

Superior
gluteal

Superior gluteal

Gluteus
maximus

Hip extensor
Lateral rotator
(H)

Surface of
ilium, sacrum
and coccyx

Inferior
gluteal

Inf. & Sup.

Gluteal

Piriformis

Lateral rotator
(H)
Lateral rotator
(H)
Lateral rotator
(H)

Sacrum

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

Sacral
plexus
Sacral
plexus
Sacral
plexus

Inf. & Sup.

Gluteal
Inf. Gluteal

Superior
gemellus
Inferior
gemellus

Ischial spine
Ischial
tuberosity

Superior gluteal

Inf. Gluteal

Page 1

Obturator
internus

Lateral rotator
(H)

Inner surface
of obturator
foramen

Greater
trochanter

Sacral
plexus

Inf. Gluteal

Obturator
externus

Lateral rotator
(H)

Outer surface
of obturator
foramen

Greater
trochanter

Obturator

Med. circumflex
femoral &
Obturator

Category Muscle

Function

Origin

Insertion Nerve

Blood
Supply

Anterior
Thigh

Pectineus

Hip Flexor
Hip Adductor

Pubic ramus

Upper medial
femur

Femoral

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

Anterior
superior iliac
spine

Upper medial
tibia

Femoral

Med. Circumflex
femoral &
Obturator
Femoral

Upper shaft of
femur

Patellar
ligament

Femoral

Lateral
circumflex
femoral

Upper shaft of
femur

Patellar
ligament

Femoral

Femoral

Upper shaft of
femur

Patellar
ligament

Femoral

Upper shaft of
femur

Patellar
ligament

Femoral

Lateral
circumflex
femoral
Lateral
circumflex

Rectus femoris

Vastus medialis
Vastus lateralis
Vastus
intermedius

Page 2

(H)

femoral

Category Muscle

Function

Origin

Insertion Nerve

Blood
Supply

Medial
Thigh

Knee Flexor
Hip Adductor

Pubic ramus

Upper medial
tibia

Pubic ramus

Posterior
Obturator
surface of
shaft of femur
Posterior
Obturator
surface of
shaft of femur
Posterior
Obturator
surface of
shaft of femur

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

Gracilis
Adductor
magnus

Hip Adductor
Lateral rotator
(H)
Adductor brevis Hip Adductor
Lateral rotator
(H)
Adductor
Hip Adductor
Longus
Lateral rotator
(H)

Pubic ramus
Pubic ramus

Obturator

Page 3

Posterior
Thigh

Semitendinosu
s

Hip Extensor
Knee Flexor

Ischial
tuberosity

Semimembran
osus

Hip Extensor
Knee Flexor

Ischial
tuberosity

Long head of
biceps femoris

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

Ischial
tuberosity

Category Muscle
Posterior
Leg

Short head of
biceps femoris
Hamstring part
of adductor
magnus

Gastrocnemius

Medial
condyle of
tibia
Medial
condyle of
tibia
Fibular head

Tibial

Perforating br.
Of deep femoral

Tibial

Perforating br.
Of deep femoral

Tibial

Perforating br.
Of deep femoral

Lateral shaft
of femur

Fibular head

Fibular

Perforating br.
Of deep femoral

Ischial
Tuberosity

Medial shaft
of femur
(adductor
tubercle)

Tibial

Perforating br.
Of deep femoral

Function

Origin

Insertion Nerve

Blood
Supply

Plantarflexion
(A)
Knee Flexor

Medial and
lateral
condyles of

Calcaneum
(via Achilles
tendon)

Sural br. Of
popliteus

Tibial

Page 4

Plantaris
Soleus

Calcaeneum

Tibial

Sural br of
popliteus

Shafts of tibia
and fibula

Calcaeneum

Tibial

Popliteus

Unlocks knee
by lateral
rotation

Lateral femur

Shaft of tibia

Tibial

Sural br of
popliteus &
posterior tibial
Posterior tibial

Flexor
digitorum
longus
Flexor hallucis
longus

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

Shaft of tibia

Phalanges of
toes # 2-5

Tibial

Posterior tibial

Shaft of fibula

Phalanx of
toe #1

Tibial

Posterior tibial

Shaft of tibia,
fibula
(interosseous
membrane)

Navicular

Tibial

Posterior tibial

Extensor of
toes

Calcaeneum

Proximal
phalanx of
toes 1-5

Deep
fibular

Dorsalis pedis

Tibialis
posterior

Dorsum of
Foot

Plantarflexion
(A)
Knee Flexor
Plantarflexion
(A)

femur
Lateral femur

Extensor
digitorum
brevis

Page 5

Category Muscle

Function

Origin

Insertion Nerve

Blood
Supply

Lateral Leg

Fibularis longus

Plantarflexion
(A)
Eversion

Shaft of fibula

Superficia
l fibular

Anterior tibial

Fibularis brevis

Plantarflexion
(A)
Eversion

Shaft of fibula

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

Superficia
l fibular

Anterior tibial

Deep
fibular

Anterior tibial

Deep
fibular

Anterior tibial

Deep
fibular

Anterior tibial

Deep
fibular

Anterior tibial

Anterior
Leg

Tibialis anterior Dorsiflexion (A)

Extensor of toes
Extensor
hallucis longus

Dorsiflexion (A)
Extensor of toes

Extensor
digitorum
longus

Dorsiflexion (A)
Extensor of toes

Fibularis tertius Dorsiflexion (A)

Eversion

Shaft of tibia +
interosseous
membrane

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

Page 6

Category Muscle
Plantar
Foot
Level 1

Level 2

Function

Origin

Insertio Nerve
n

Blood
Supply

Abductor
hallucis

Abducts toe #1
Flexes toe #1

Medial tubercle
of calcaeneum

Flexes toes

Medial tubercle
of calcaeneum

Abducts toe # 5

Calcaeneum

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

Medial plantar
(post. Tibial)

Flexor
digitorum
brevis
Abductor digiti
minimi

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

Quadratus
plantae

Laterally pulls
Calcaeneum
flexor digitorum
longus tendon
(helps flex
lateral four toes)
Extends toes at
Tendons of

Tendons of
flexor
digitarum
longus

Lateral
plantar
(Tibial)

Posterior Tibial

Dorsal

Lateral

Lateral plantar

Lumbricals

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

Page 7

interphalangeal
joints
Flexor
digitorum
longus tendon

flexor digitorum
longus

extensor
expansion
of toes #25

plantar

(post. Tibial)

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

Category Muscle

Function

Origin

Insertio Nerve
n

Blood
Supply

Level 3

Flexor hallucis
brevis

Flexes big toe

Cuboid/cuneifor
m

Medial
plantar
(Tibial)

Medial plantar
(post. Tibial)

Adductor
hallucis

Adducts big toe

Bases of
metatarsal
bones

Tibial

Medial plantar
(post. Tibial)

Flexor digiti
minimi

Flexes pinky toe

Base of
metatarsal
bone #5

Base of
proximal
phalanx of
toe #1
Lateral side
of proximal
phalanx of
big toe #1
Lateral side
of the
proximal
phalanx of

Lateral
plantar

Lateral plantar
(post. Tibial)

Page 8

toe #5
Flexor hallucis
longus tendon
Level 4

Dorsal
interossei 4

Adduct toes with Metatarsal

toe #2 as
bones
reference

Plantar
interossei 3

Adduct toes with Metatarsal

toe #2 as
bones
reference

Phlanges
and dorsal
expansion
of the
correspondi
ng toes
Phlanages
and dorsal
expansion
of
correspondi
ng toes

Lateral
plantar

Lateral plantar
(post. Tibial)

Lateral
plantar

Lateral plantar
(post. Tibial)

Page 9