L2 Thigh

The femoral triangle is a region in the anterior thigh defined by the inguinal ligament, the lateral border of the adductor longus muscle, and the medial border of the sartorius muscle.

The contents of the femoral triangle include the femoral nerve, femoral artery, femoral vein, and lymph nodes.

The femoral nerve originates from the lumbar plexus (L2-L4) and is responsible for innervating the anterior thigh muscles and providing sensory innervation to the skin of the anterior thigh, knee, and medial leg.

The obturator nerve originates from the lumbar plexus (L2-L4) and innervates the adductor muscles of the medial compartment of the thigh, with the exception of the tendinous portion of the adductor magnus muscle.

The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body and splits into the tibial and common fibular nerves in the thigh. It innervates the hamstrings and the muscles of the posterior compartment of the thigh.

The femoral artery is the main artery supplying the thigh and its branches. It gives rise to the deep femoral artery (profunda femoris artery), which provides the main blood supply to the thigh muscles.

The deep femoral artery, also known as the profunda femoris artery, provides the main blood supply to the thigh muscles. It gives rise to the medial and lateral circumflex arteries.

The adductor canal (sub-sartorial canal) is a tunnel in the thigh that contains the femoral artery, femoral vein, and saphenous nerve. It is formed by the sartorius, vastus medialis, and adductor longus muscles.

The adductor hiatus is an opening in the adductor magnus muscle that allows the femoral artery and vein to pass from the adductor canal into the popliteal fossa.

The quadriceps femoris muscle is the largest muscle group in the body, composed of the rectus femoris, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, and vastus intermedius muscles. It is responsible for knee extension.

The sartorius muscle is the longest muscle in the body, and is responsible for flexing, abducting, and laterally rotating the thigh at the hip joint, as well as flexing the leg at the knee joint.

The iliopsoas muscle is a major hip flexor, composed of the iliacus and the psoas major muscles.

The pectineus muscle is a small, flat muscle located in the anterior thigh. It is responsible for flexing and adducting the thigh at the hip joint.

The hamstrings are a group of three muscles located on the posterior aspect of the thigh: the semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and biceps femoris. These muscles are responsible for extending the thigh at the hip joint and flexing the leg at the knee joint.

The vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and vastus intermedius muscles are part of the quadriceps femoris muscle group. They are responsible for extending the leg at the knee joint.

The rectus femoris muscle is the only quadriceps muscle that crosses both the hip and knee joints. It is responsible for flexing the thigh at the hip joint and extending the leg at the knee joint.

The gracilis muscle is a long, thin muscle located on the medial side of the thigh. It is responsible for adducting the thigh at the hip joint and flexing the leg at the knee joint.

The adductor longus, adductor brevis, and adductor magnus muscles are the main adductors of the thigh. They are located in the medial compartment of the thigh and are responsible for pulling the leg towards the midline of the body.

The pes anserinus is a common insertion point for three muscles on the medial aspect of the tibia: the sartorius, gracilis, and semitendinosus muscles.

The patella is a sesamoid bone located within the tendon of the quadriceps femoris muscle. It functions to improve the leverage of the quadriceps muscle and protect the knee joint during extension.

The iliotibial band is a thick band of fascia that runs along the lateral aspect of the thigh, from the iliac crest to the lateral tibial condyle. It functions to stabilize the knee joint and assist with hip and knee movement.

The femoral canal is a potential space within the femoral sheath, located medial to the femoral vein. This space is important because it is a possible site for a femoral hernia.

A femoral hernia occurs when a portion of the intestine or other abdominal contents protrude through a weak area in the abdominal wall near the femoral canal.

The saphenous vein is the longest vein in the body and runs along the medial side of the leg and thigh. It drains into the femoral vein in the femoral triangle.

The great saphenous vein is the largest superficial vein in the body and ascends across the medial thigh before draining into the femoral vein in the femoral triangle.

The lymph nodes in the femoral triangle are responsible for filtering lymph from the lower limbs and genitalia. They are located in close proximity to the femoral vessels.

A large muscle group in the anterior thigh, responsible for extending the leg at the knee joint. It includes the rectus femoris, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, and vastus intermedius muscles.

The longest muscle in the body, situated in the anterior thigh. It helps flex, abduct, and laterally rotate the thigh at the hip, and also flexes the leg at the knee.

Located in the anterior thigh, this muscle is responsible for flexing and adducting the thigh at the hip joint.

The main muscle group of the posterior thigh, responsible for extending the thigh at the hip and flexing the leg at the knee.

This large muscle located in the posterior thigh extends the thigh at the hip, and it flexes and rotates the leg at the knee.

The semitendinosus muscle originates from the ischial tuberosity and inserts at the pes anserinus on the tibia.

The semimembranosus muscle also originates from the ischial tuberosity but inserts on the posterior medial condyle of the tibia.

The short head of the biceps femoris originates from the linea aspera on the posterior femur. Both heads insert into the head of the fibula.

The hamstrings are a group of three muscles located on the posterior aspect of the thigh: semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and biceps femoris.

The iliotibial tract is a thick band of fascia that runs along the lateral aspect of the thigh, from the iliac crest to the lateral tibial tubercle.

The retro-inguinal space is a region deep to the inguinal ligament where vital structures pass into the anterior thigh.

The femoral triangle is a triangular region in the anterior thigh defined by the inguinal ligament, the adductor longus muscle, and the sartorius muscle.

The femoral nerve originates in the lumbar plexus (L2-L4), runs through the iliacus and psoas major muscles, passes under the inguinal ligament into the femoral triangle, giving rise to the saphenous nerve, and innervates the anterior compartment of the thigh.

The obturator nerve arises from the lumbar plexus (L2-L3-L4) and travels through the obturator canal in the pelvis, splitting into anterior and posterior branches to innervate the adductor muscles of the medial thigh.

The sciatic nerve, the largest nerve in the body, descends through the thigh, splitting into the tibial and common fibular nerves. In the thigh, it innervates the hamstrings and the muscles of the posterior compartment.

The femoral triangle is an anatomical region in the anterior thigh formed by the inguinal ligament, the adductor longus muscle, and the sartorius muscle. Its contents include the femoral nerve, artery, vein, and lymph nodes.

The adductor canal, also known as the subsartorial canal, is a tunnel located in the thigh. It encloses the femoral artery, femoral vein, and saphenous nerve, and originates from the femoral triangle.

The femoral sheath is a fascial sheath that encloses the femoral artery, femoral vein, and femoral canal. The femoral canal is the potential space within the sheath where a femoral hernia can occur.

A femoral hernia happens when a portion of the intestine or other abdominal contents protrude through a weak area in the abdominal wall, specifically near the femoral canal.

The adductor hiatus, located in the adductor magnus muscle, is the opening where the femoral artery and vein pass from the adductor canal into the popliteal fossa.

The sartorius muscle is the longest muscle in the body and it helps with flexing, abducting (moving away from the body), and rotating the thigh at the hip joint, and also helps to bend the leg at the knee joint.

The rectus femoris muscle is a large muscle in the front of the thigh. It helps with flexing the thigh at the hip joint and extending the leg at the knee joint.

The obturator artery is a small artery located in the thigh. It supplies blood to muscles that attach to the pubis and ischium bones, and also supplies the head of the femur.

The femoral artery is a major artery in the thigh. It supplies blood to the skin of the anterior abdomen, the inguinal region, and the external genitalia.

The pes anserinus is the common insertion point for three muscles (sartorius, gracilis, and semitendinosus) on the medial (inside) aspect of the tibia.

The quadriceps tendon is a strong tendon that connects all four quadriceps muscles to the patella (knee cap). It is the common tendon used for knee extension (straightening).

The deep femoral artery, also called the profunda femoris artery, is a branch of the femoral artery. It provides the major blood supply to the thigh muscles.

The vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and vastus intermedius are three muscles that are part of the large quadriceps muscle group. They all help with extending the leg at the knee joint.

The deep femoral artery gives off three circumflex arteries: lateral, medial and transverse, as well as perforating branches. These branches further supply muscles of the thigh.

The perforating branches of the deep femoral artery supply blood to the hamstring muscles and the skin of the posterior thigh.

The patella is a small, flat bone located in the tendon of the quadriceps muscle. It helps the quadriceps muscle and acts as a shield for the knee joint.

The vastus medialis is a large muscle group located in the medial (inside) part of the thigh. It helps with extending the leg at the knee joint.

The adductor hiatus is an opening in the adductor magnus muscle. It allows the femoral artery and vein to pass from the adductor canal into the popliteal fossa.

The vastus lateralis is a large muscle located on the lateral (outside) part of the thigh. It helps with extending the leg at the knee joint.

The quadriceps femoris muscle group is the largest muscle group in the body. It provides extension of the leg at the knee joint.

The adductor longus, adductor brevis, and adductor magnus muscles are the primary muscles responsible for pulling the leg towards the midline (adduction) at the hip joint.

The adductor longus, adductor brevis, and a portion of the adductor magnus are innervated by the obturator nerve. The hamstring portion of the adductor magnus is innervated by the sciatic nerve.

The adductor longus originates from the body of the pubis, inserts on the linea aspera of the femur, and its action is to adduct the thigh at the hip joint.

The adductor brevis originates from the body of the pubis, inserts on the linea aspera of the femur, and its action is to adduct the thigh at the hip joint.

The adductor magnus originates from the ischiopubic ramus (adductor part) and the ischial tuberosity (hamstring part). Its adductor part inserts on the linea aspera of the femur, and its hamstring part inserts on the adductor tubercle.

The adductor magnus has two parts: the adductor part, innervated by the obturator nerve, and the hamstring part, innervated by the sciatic nerve.

The semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and biceps femoris (long head) are part of the hamstring muscle group, which originates from the ischial tuberosity.

The semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and biceps femoris (long head) are innervated by the tibial nerve, while the short head of the biceps femoris is innervated by the common fibular nerve.