MUSCLES OF THE PELVIC LIMB

A.EXTRINSIC MUSCLES OF THE PELVIC LIMB

MUSCLES DESCRIPTION ORIGIN INSERTION ACTION INNERVATION
Quadratus Lumborum Transverse process of stabilize
Wing of sacrum & ilium rotate
lumbar vertebral pelvis
Psoas Minor T13 – L5 Ilium column
Ventral branches of
Psoas Major: last rib and t. rotate
Lumbar nerve; Femoral
Fusion of; processes of lumbar (iliopsoas: thigh
nerve
Iliopsoas 1.Psoas Major vertebrae lesser trochanter of femur psoas outwardly
2.Iliacus muscle Iliacus: cranioventral ilium major
flex hip
only)

B. INTRINSIC MUSCLES OF THE PELVIC LIMB

CAUDAL MUSCLES OF THE THIGH
- also known as hamstring muscles
- a slender caudal crural abductor muscle is closely associated with the mediocaudal surface of the biceps
- consists of three primary muscles:
1) biceps femoris, laterally
2) semitendinosus, caudally
3) semimembranosus, medially

MUSCLES DESCRIPTION ORIGIN INSERTION ACTION INNERVATION

Biceps femoris longest and widest sacrotuber -fascia lata and crural fascia to the
caudal
muscle ous patella, patellar ligament and
part:
ligament cranial border of the tibia; extend stifle
flexes the
-crural fascia to the subcutaneous extend stifle
part of tibial body; tuber calcanei hock
Semitendinosus nearly wide and disto-cranial border of tibia extend
Sciatic nerve
thick ischiatic medial surface of body of tibia hip flex the stifle X
tuberosity tuber calcanei by crural fascia
Semimembranosus distal medial lip of caudal rough
Femoral part: extends the stifle
surface of femur
medial condyle of tibia Tibial part: flexes or extends the
stifle
Caudal Crural Abductor ribbon-like muscle no great functional significance

1
MEDIAL MUSCLES OF THE THIGH
MUSCLES DESCRIPTION ORIGIN INSERTION ACTION INNERVATION
Sartorius has two strap-like parts: cranial part: crest of cranial part: patella, in
Cranial part – forms cranial contour ilium and thoracolumbar common with the rectus cranial part:
of thigh (1cm thick) fascia femoris of the quadriceps extend stifle
Caudal part – medial side and is
flex hip Femoral nerve
thinner, wider and longer caudal part: cranial caudal part: cranial border
ventral iliac spine and of tibia caudal part:
adjacent ventral border flexes stifle
of ilium
Gracilis Arises from symphysial tendon; thick Pelvic symphysis by -Cranial border of tibia
flat tendon attached ventrally to symphysial tendon -tuber calcanei
symphysis pelvis;
extend
aponeurosis: covers the adductor flex
hip and
femoral triangle: shallow triangular stifle
hock
space which femoral vessels run t and
from the pelvic limb
femoral artery: pulse is usually taken
Pectineus Small, spindle-shaped muscle of deep Iliopubic eminence and Distal end of medial lip of
adduct
muscles of the thigh pubic tubercle by csudal rough surfsce of X Obturator nerve
limb
prepubic tendon femur
Adductor Large pyramidal muscle, compressed Entire pelvic symphysis Entire lateral lip of caudal
between semimembranosus and by symphysial tendon rough surface of femur
pectineus
extend the hip
Consists of two muscles: adjacent part of ischiatic
1.Adductor magnus et brevis arch and ventral surface
2.Adductor longus of pubis and ischium

2
LATERAL MUSCLES OF THE PELVIS
- Gluteal group of muscles or Rump
MUSCLES DESCRIPTION ORIGIN INSERTION ACTION INNERVATION
Superficial small; lies caudal to the middle gluteal lateral border of sacrum and
Gluteal 1st caudal vertebrae by
sacrotuberous ligament;
arises from proximal half of the sacrotuberous cranial dorsal iliac spine by Caudal gluteal
third trochanter abduct limb
ligament deep gluteal fascia nerve
sacrotuberous ligament – a collagenous band extend
that runs from the sacrum to the lateral of the hip
ischiatic tuberosity
Middle Gluteal large ovoid muscle; crest and gluteal surface of greater trochanter
rotate
largest among the gluteal group of muscles ilium of femur
abduct pelvic
Deep Gluteal lies deep to the middle gluteal body of ilium
cranial aspect of the hip limb
Gluteus ischiatic spine
greater trochanter medially
Profundus Cranial gluteal
Tensor Fasciae triangular muscle that attaches proximally to tuber coxae nerve
to tense
Latae tuber coxae adjacent parts of ilium extend
lateral femoral lateral
two portions: the aponeurosis of middle flex hip the
fasciae femoral
1. a cranial, more superficial portion gluteal stifle
fascia
2. a deeper, caudal portion
CAUDAL HIP MUSCLES
- the 4 muscles of this group are important because of their proximity to the hip
- lie caudal to the hip; extend from inner and outer surfaces of the ischium to the femur
- they all rotate the femur laterally

3
 MUSCLES DESCRIPTION ORIGIN INSERTION ACTION INNERVATION
Internal fan-shaped muscle on dorsal surface of ischium symphysis pelvis trochanteric fossa
Obturator and pubis
situated on the vicinity of the obturator foramen dorsal surface of ischium
and pubis
Gemelli twin muscles that are fused together and lie lateral surface of trochanteric fossa
under tendon of internal obturator ischium– ventral
Sciatic nerve
interposed between the quadratus femoris and; acetabulum – caudal,
external obturator – distally and deep gluteal – lesser ischiatic notch –
proximally ventral rotate pelvic limb
Quadratus lies deep to the biceps femoris where it is ventral surface of caudal trochanteri possibly the laterally at the hip
Femoris interposed between; part of ischium c fossa intertrochanteric
adductor- medially and external crest of femur
obturator/gemelli- dorsally
External fan-shaped muscle that arises on ventral surface ventral surface of ischium trochanteric fossa
Obturator of pubis and ischium and pubis
covers the obturator foramen Obturator nerve
caudal border – is covered by quadratus femoris
cranial border – hidden by adductor
Articularis small, spindle-shaped muscle lying on lateral surface of ilium neck of femur used as landmark for
Coxae craniolateral aspect of hip joint capsule along with rectus femoris entering the joint
covered by deep gluteal muscle capsule
s

CRANIAL MUSCLES OF THE THIGH

- muscles that act primarily on the stifle joint
MUSCLES DESCRIPTION ORIGIN INSERTION ACTION INNERVATION
Quadriceps flex the hip;
Ilium
Femoris 1.Rectus Femoris extend the stifle
(rectus femoris only)
- most powerful (rectus femoris only)
tibial tuberosity Femoral nerve
extensor of the 2.Vastus Lateralis
stifle proximal femur
3.Vastus intermedius
(vasti muscles only)
4.Vastus Medialis
Popliteus covered by the;
1.gastrocnemius rotate leg medially
2.superficial digital flexor proximal 3rd of caudal surface of
lateral condyle of femur Tibial nerve
contains a sesamoid bone that articulates with tibia
the caudal aspect of the lateral condyle of the extend stifle
tibia

4
MUSCLES OF THE LEG/CRUS
- the region between the stifle and hock are divided into craniolateral and caudal groups
- the a) superficial, b) tarsal, c) metatarsal and c) digital fasciae are similar to the superficial fasciae of the corresponding regions of the forelimb
» vessel that courses in superficial fasciae: cranial branch of lateral saphenous vein – used for veni-puncture
- the medial and lateral femoral fasciae bend over the stifle and are continued distally in the leg as deep crural fascia
» deep crural fascia – covers the a) muscles of the leg and b) free lying surfaces of crural skeleton
» medially, the semitendinosus and gracilis are continuous with the fascia
- just proximal to the flexor surface of the tarsus, the deep crural fascia is thickened to form an oblique band called the crural extensor retinaculum
» crural extensor retinaculum – binds down tendons of the long digital extensors and cranial tibial muscles
- the deep crural fascia decreases in thickness as it passes over the tarsus and becomes the deep tarsal fascia
» a fibrous loop that attaches to the calcaneus, wraps around the tendon of the long digital extensor which is the lateral extensor retinaculum
A. CRANIOLATERAL MUSCLES OF THE LEG
MUSCLES DESCRIPTION ORIGIN INSERTION ACTION INNERVATION
Cranial Tibial most cranial muscle of this group extensor groove plantar surface of the
adjacent articular surface of base of metatarsals II and
rotate paw
tibia III
laterally
its tendon runs under the crural extensor lateral edge of cranial border
retinaculum of tibia
flex the
Peroneus Longus lies just caudal to the long digital lateral condyle of the tibia 4th tarsal bone rotate paw
tarsus Peroneal nerve
extensor, where a triangular portion of its medially
short belly lies under the crural fascia (so that the
a short, thick, wedge-shaped muscle that proximal end of fibula plantar surface of the plantar
lies in large part cranial to the fibula lateral epicondyle of femur by base of the metatarsals surface faces
means of the lateral collateral laterally/pro
ligament of the stifle nation)
Peroneus Brevis muscle of no great significance that lies
beneath the peroneus longus on the
lateral aspect of the leg

5
CAUDOMEDIAL MUSCLES OF THE LEG
MUSCLES DESCRIPTION ORIGIN INSERTION ACTION INNERVATION
Long Digital spindle-shaped muscle that is partly
extensor processes of the distal
Extensor covered by;
extensor fossa of femur phalanges of digits II, III, IV
1.cranial tibial (medially) extend flex
and V Peroneal nerve
2.peroneus longus (laterally) digit tarsus
Lateral Digital lies beneath the peroneus longus on the Fibula lateral digit
Extensor lateral aspect of the leg
Extensor Hallucis a small discrete area associated with the
Longus medial digits

CAUDAL MUSCLES OF THE LEG

MUSCLES DESCRIPTION ORIGIN INSERTION ACTION INNERVATION
Gastrocnemius consists of two heads that enclose the
superficial digital flexor between them
form the caudal bugle of the leg (calf) lateral and medial tuberosities
and contribute the major component of of femur
the common calcanean tendon or tuber calcanei extend flex
Achilles Tendon tarsus stifle
Superficial spindle-shaped muscle that arises from
Digital Flexor the supracondylar tuberosity of femur
with the lateral head of gastrocnemius Tibial nerve
lateral supra-condylar
1.deep surface – in apposition to deep
tuberosity of femur
digital flexor and popliteus bases of middle phalanges of flex first 2 digital
2.other surfaces – largely covered by digits II to V joints of 4 principal
the gastrocnemius digits
Deep Digital composed of 2 muscles; plantar aspect of proximal
Flexor 1.Lateral Digital Flexor/Flexor two-thirds of tibia, the extend tarsus
plantar surface of the base of
Hallucis Longus proximal half of fibula and flex digits
each distal phalanges
2. Medial Digital Flexor/Flexor adjacent interosseous
Digitorum Longus membrane