Quadriceps femoris muscle

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Template:Infobox Muscle Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]


Overview

The quadriceps femoris (quadriceps, quadriceps extensor, guads or quads) includes the four prevailing muscles on the front of the thigh. It is the great extensor muscle of the knee, forming a large fleshy mass which covers the front and sides of the femur.

It is subdivided into separate portions, which have received distinctive names.

  • Rectus femoris occupies the middle of the thigh, covering most of the other three quadriceps muscles. It originates on the ilium. It is named from its straight course.

All four parts of the quadriceps muscle attach to the patella via the quadriceps tendon.

The quadriceps is also involved in Lombard's Paradox.

Actions

All four quadriceps are powerful extensors of the knee joint. They are crucial in walking, running, jumping and squatting. Because rectus femoris attaches to the ilium, it is also a flexor of the hip. This action is also crucial to walking or running as it swings the leg forward into the ensuing step.

Additional images

External links

Template:Gray's

Template:Muscles of lower limb

de:Musculus quadriceps femoris he:השריר הארבע ראשי fi:Nelipäinen reisilihas sv:Quadriceps


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