Table of Lower Limb Muscles

Muscles of Gluteal Region

Muscle Origin Insertion Nerve Action
extends & laterally rotates thigh;
gluteus outer surface of ilium, sacrum, iliotibial tract and gluteal inferior gluteal
through iliotibial tract, it extends knee
maximus coccyx, sacrotuberous ligament tuberosity of femur nerve
joint
gluteus greater trochanter of superior gluteal
outer surface of ilium abducts thigh. Tilts pelvis when walking
medius femur nerve
gluteus greater trochanter of superior gluteal abduct thigh; anterior fibers medially
outer surface of ilium
minimus femur nerve rotate thigh
tensor fasciae superior gluteal assists gluteus major in locking the
iliac crest iliotibial tract
latae nerve knee into full extension
1st & 2nd
piriformis anterior surface of sacrum greater trochanteric fossa lateral rotator of thigh
sacral nerves
superior
spine of ischium greater trochanteric fossa sacral plexus lateral rotator of thigh
gemellus
obturator inner surface of obturator
greater trochanteric fossa sacral plexus lateral rotator of thigh
internus membrane
inferior
ischial tuberosity greater trochanteric fossa sacral plexus lateral rotator of thigh
gemellus
obturator outer surface of obturator greater trochanteric fossa
obturator nerve lateral rotator of thigh
externus membrane of femur
 Anterior Compartment of Thigh
flexes, abducts, laterally rotates
femoral
sartorius anterior superior iliac spine upper medial surface of tibia thigh; flexes & medially rotates
nerve
leg
flexes thigh on trunk; if thigh is
with psoas into the lesser femoral
iliacus iliac fossa fixed, it flexes the trunk onto the
trochanter of femur nerve
thigh as in sitting up
12th thoracic body; transverse flexes thigh on trunk; if thigh
lesser trochanter of femur lumbar
psoas process, bodies & intervertebral discs fixed, it flexes trunk onto thigh as
along with iliacus plexus
of the 5 lumbar vertebrae in sitting up
femoral
pectineus superior ramus of pubis upper end shaft of femur flexes and adducts thigh
nerve
straight head from anterior inferior quadriceps tendon into
quadriceps femoris, femoral
iliac spine; reflected head from ilium patella; into tibial tuberosity extension of leg
rectus femoris nerve
above acetabulum by patellar tendon
quadriceps tendon into
quadriceps femoris, femoral
upper end and shaft of femur patella; into tibial tuberosity extension of leg
vastus lateralis nerve
by patellar tendon
quadriceps tendon into
quadriceps femoris, femoral
upper end and shaft of femur patella; into tibial tuberosity extension of leg
vastus medialis nerve
by patellar tendon
quadriceps tendon into
quadriceps femoris, femoral
shaft of femur patella; into tibial tuberosity extension of leg
vastus intermedius nerve
by patellar tendon
 Muscles of Medial Compartment of Thigh
Muscle Origin Insertion Nerve Action
inferior ramus of pubis; upper part of shaft of tibia on medial
gracilis obturator nerve adducts thigh and flexes leg
ramus of ischium surface
adductor adducts thigh; assists in lateral
body of pubis posterior surface of shaft of femur obturator nerve
longus rotation
adductor adducts thigh; assists in lateral
inferior ramus of pubis posterior surface of shaft of femur obturator nerve
brevis rotation
inferior ramus of pubis; posterior surface of shaft of femur obturator nerve; adducts thigh and assists in lateral
adductor
ramus of ischium, ischial near linea aspera; adductor tubercle tibial nerve to rotation; hamstring part extends
magnus
tuberosity of femur hamstring part thigh

Muscles of Posterior Compartment of Thigh

long head from ischial
biceps femoris tuberosity; short head from
shaft of femur
semitendinosus ischial tuberosity
semimembranosus ischial tuberosity
adductor magnus
ischial tuberosity
(hamstring part)
flexes and laterally
long head:tibial; short
head of fibula rotates leg; long head
head:common peroneal
extends thigh
flexes and medially
upper part medial surface
tibial nerve rotates leg; extends
of shaft of tibia
thigh
medial condyle of tibia; flexes and medially
forms oblique popliteal tibial nerve rotates leg; extends
ligament thigh
adductor tubercle of
tibial nerve extends thigh
femur
 Muscles of Anterior Compartment of the Leg
Muscle Origin Insertion Nerve Action
deep extends the foot; inverts foot at subtalar and
shaft of tibia and medial cuneiform & base
tibialis anterior peroneal transverse tarsal joints; supports medial
interosseous membrane of first metatarsal
nerve longitudinal arch
deep
extensor shaft of fibula and extensor expansion of
peroneal extends toes; dorsiflexes (extends) foot
digitorum interosseous membrane lateral four toes
nerve
deep
peroneus shaft of fibula & base of 5th metatarsal dorsiflexes (extends) foot; everts foot at subtalar
peroneal
tertius interosseous membrane bone and transverse tarsal joints
nerve
deep
extensor shaft of fibula & base of distal phalanx of extends big toe; dorsiflexes (extends) foot; inverts
peroneal
hallucis longus interosseous membrane big toe foot at subtalar and transverse tarsal joints
nerve

Muscles of Lateral Compartment of Leg

peroneus shaft of base of 1st metatarsal & superficial plantar flexes foot; everts foot at subtalar & transverse tarsal
longus fibula medial cuneiform peroneal nerve joints; supports lateral longitudinal and transverse arches of foot
peroneus shaft of base of 5th metatarsal superficial plantar flexes foot; everts foot at subtalar & transverse tarsal
brevis fibula bone peroneal nerve joints; supports lateral longitudinal arch
 Muscles of Posterior Compartment of the Leg
medial and lateral condyles by way of Achilles tibial
gastrocnemius plantar flexes foot; flexes leg
of femur tendon to calcaneum nerve
lateral supracondylar ridge tibial
plantaris calcaneum plantar flexes foot; flexes leg
of femur nerve
with gastrocnemius & plantaris is powerful plantar
by way of achilles tibial
soleus shafts of tibia and fibula flexor of foot; provides main propulsive force in
tendon into calcaneum nerve
walking & running
tibial flexes leg; unlocks full extension of knee by laterally
popliteus lateral condyle of femur shaft of tibia
nerve rotating femur on tibia
flexes distal phalanges of lateral four toes; plantar
flexor digitorum distal phalanges of tibial
shaft of tibia flexes foot; supports medial and lateral longitudinal
longus lateral four toes nerve
arches of foot
flexor hallucis base of distal phalanx tibial flexes distal phalanx of big toe; plantar flexes foot;
shaft of fibula
longus of big toe nerve supports medial longitudinal arch
plantar flexes foot; inverts foot at subtalar and
shafts of tibia and fibula & tuberosity of navicular tibial
tibialis posterior transverse tarsal joints; supports medial longitudinal
interosseous membrane bone nerve
arch of foot

Muscles on the Dorsum of Foot

Muscle Origin Insertion Nerve Action
extensor digitorum by four tendons into the proximal phalanx of big toe and long extensor deep peroneal extends
calcaneum
brevis tendons to 2nd, 3rd and 4th toes nerve toes
 Muscles of the Sole of the Foot (First Layer)
abductor medial tubercle of calcaneum; medial side, base of proximal medial flexes, abducts big toe; supports medial
hallucis flexor retinaculum phalanx of big toe plantar nerve arch
flexor digitorum middle phalanx of four lateral medial flexes lateral four toes; supports medial
medial tubercle of calcaneum
brevis toes plantar nerve & lateral longitudinal arches
abductor digiti medial & lateral tubercles of lateral side base of proximal lateral plantar flexes, abducts 5th toe; supports lateral
minimi calcaneum phalanx 5th toe nerve longitudinal arch

Muscles of Sole of Foot (Second Layer)

flexor accessorius medial and lateral
tendons flexor aids long flexor tendon to flex lateral
(quadratus sides of lateral plantar nerve
digitorum longus four toes
plantae) calcaneum
base of distal flexes distal phalanges of lateral four
flexor digitorum
shaft of tibia phalanx of lateral tibial nerve toes; plantar flexes foot; supports
longus tendon
four toes longitudinal arch
dorsal extensor 1st lumbrical from medial plantar;
tendons of flexor extends toes at interphalangeal
lumbricals expansion of lateral remainder lumbricals from deep
digitorum longus joints
four toes branch of lateral plantar nerve
flexes distal phalanx of big toe;
flexor hallucis base of distal
shaft of fibula tibial nerve plantar flexes foot; supports medial
longus phalanx of big toe
longitudinal arch
 Muscles of Sole of Foot (Third Layer)
Muscle Origin Insertion Nerve Action
cuboid, lateral cuneiform medial & lateral sides of
flexor hallucis medial plantar flexes metatarsophalangeal joint of big
bones; tibialis posterior base of proximal phalanx
brevis nerve toe; supports medial longitudinal arch
insertion of big toe
adductor hallucis bases of 2nd, 3rd & 4th lateral side base of deep branch of
flexes big toe, supports transverse arch
(oblique head) metatarsal bones proximal phalanx big toe lateral plantar
deep branch of
adductor hallucis lateral side of base of
plantar ligaments lateral plantar flexes big toe; supports transverse arch
(transverse head) proximal phalanx big toe
nerve
superior branch of
flexor digiti minimi base of 5th metatarsal lateral side of base of
lateral plantar flexes little toe
brevis bone proximal phalanx of big toe
nerve

Muscles of Sole of Foot (Fourth Layer)

lateral abduct toes with 2nd toe as the reference; flex
dorsal adjacent sides of bases of phalanges and dorsal
plantar metatarsophalangeal joints; extend interphalangeal
interossei (4) metatarsal bones expansion of corresponding toes
nerve joint
lateral adduct toes with 2nd toe as reference; flex
plantar 3rd, 4th, and 5th bases of phalanges & dorsal
plantar metatarsophalangeal joints; extend interphalangeal
interossei (3) metatarsal bones expansion of corresponding toes
nerve joints
tendon of
peroneus see above see above see above see above
longus
tendon of
see above see above see above see above
tibialis posterior