|
Gastrocnemius
The gastrocnemius muscle (plural ''gastrocnemii'') is a superficial two-headed muscle that is in the back part of the lower leg of humans. It is located superficial to the soleus in the posterior (back) compartment of the leg. It runs from its two heads just above the knee to the heel, extending across a total of three joints (knee, ankle and subtalar joints). The muscle is named via Latin, from Greek γαστήρ (''gaster'') 'belly' or 'stomach' and κνήμη (''knḗmē'') 'leg', meaning 'stomach of the leg' (referring to the bulging shape of the calf). Structure Origin/proximal attachment The lateral head originates from the lateral condyle of the femur, while the medial head originates from the medial condyle of the femur. Insertion/distal attachment Its other end forms a common tendon with the soleus muscle; this tendon is known as the calcaneal tendon or Achilles tendon and inserts onto the posterior surface of the calcaneus, or heel bone. Relations The gast ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Plantaris Muscle
The plantaris is one of the superficial muscles of the superficial posterior compartment of the leg, one of the fascial compartments of the leg. It is composed of a thin muscle belly and a long thin tendon. While not as thick as the achilles tendon, the plantaris tendon (which tends to be between in length) is the longest tendon in the human body. Not including the tendon, the plantaris muscle is approximately long and is absent in 8-12% of the population. It is one of the plantar flexors in the posterior compartment of the leg, along with the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles. The plantaris is considered to have become an unimportant muscle when human ancestors switched from climbing trees to bipedalism and in anatomically modern humans it mainly acts with the gastrocnemius. Structure The plantaris muscle arises from the inferior part of the lateral supracondylar ridge of the femur at a position slightly superior to the origin of the lateral head of gastrocnemius. It pas ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Soleus Muscle
In humans and some other mammals, the soleus is a powerful muscle in the back part of the lower leg (the calf). It runs from just below the knee to the heel and is involved in standing and walking. It is closely connected to the gastrocnemius muscle, and some anatomists consider this combination to be a single muscle, the triceps surae. Its name is derived from the Latin word "solea", meaning "sandal". Structure The soleus is located in the superficial posterior compartment of the leg. The soleus exhibits significant morphological differences across species. It is unipennate in many species. In some animals, such as the rabbit, it is fused for much of its length with the gastrocnemius muscle. The soleus is a complex, multi-pennate muscle in humans, normally having a separate (posterior) aponeurosis from the gastrocnemius muscle. Most soleus muscle fibers originate from each side of the anterior aponeurosis, attached to the tibia and fibula. Other fibers originate from the po ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Triceps Surae Muscle
The triceps surae consists of two muscles located at the calf – the two-headed gastrocnemius and the soleus. These muscles both insert into the calcaneus, the bone of the heel of the human foot, and form the major part of the muscle of the posterior leg, commonly known as the calf muscle. Structure The triceps surae is connected to the foot through the Achilles tendon, and has three heads deriving from the two major masses of muscle. * The superficial portion (the gastrocnemius) gives off two heads attaching to the base of the femur directly above the knee. * The deep (profundus) mass of muscle (the soleus) forms the remaining head which attaches to the superior posterior area of the tibia. The triceps surae is innervated by the tibial nerve, specifically, nerve roots L5–S2. Function Contraction of the triceps surae induce plantar flexion (sagittal plane) and stabilization of the ankle complex in the transverse plane. Functional activities include primarily movement ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Achilles Tendon
The Achilles tendon or heel cord, also known as the calcaneal tendon, is a tendon at the back of the lower leg, and is the thickest in the human body. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius (calf) and soleus muscles to the calcaneus (heel) bone. These muscles, acting via the tendon, cause plantar flexion of the foot at the ankle joint, and (except the soleus) flexion at the knee. Abnormalities of the Achilles tendon include inflammation ( Achilles tendinitis), degeneration, rupture, and becoming embedded with cholesterol deposits ( xanthomas). The Achilles tendon was named in 1693 after the Greek hero Achilles. History The oldest-known written record of the tendon being named after Achilles is in 1693 by the Flemish/Dutch anatomist Philip Verheyen. In his widely used text he described the tendon's location and said that it was commonly called "the cord of Achilles." The tendon has been described as early as the time of Hippocrates, who described it as th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Knee
In humans and other primates, the knee joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two joints: one between the femur and tibia (tibiofemoral joint), and one between the femur and patella (patellofemoral joint). It is the largest joint in the human body. The knee is a modified hinge joint, which permits flexion and extension (kinesiology), extension as well as slight internal and external rotation. The knee is vulnerable to injury and to the development of osteoarthritis. It is often termed a ''compound joint'' having tibiofemoral and patellofemoral components. (The fibular collateral ligament is often considered with tibiofemoral components.) Structure The knee is a modified hinge joint, a type of synovial joint, which is composed of three functional compartments: the patellofemoral articulation, consisting of the patella, or "kneecap", and the patellar groove on the front of the femur through which it slides; and the medial and lateral tibiofemoral articulations linking the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Foot
The foot (: feet) is an anatomical structure found in many vertebrates. It is the terminal portion of a limb which bears weight and allows locomotion. In many animals with feet, the foot is an organ at the terminal part of the leg made up of one or more segments or bones, generally including claws and/or nails. Etymology The word "foot", in the sense of meaning the "terminal part of the leg of a vertebrate animal" comes from Old English ''fot'', from Proto-Germanic *''fot'' (source also of Old Frisian ''fot'', Old Saxon ''fot'', Old Norse ''fotr'', Danish ''fod'', Swedish ''fot'', Dutch ''voet'', Old High German ''fuoz'', German ''Fuß'', Gothic ''fotus'', all meaning "foot"), from PIE root *''ped-'' "foot". The plural form ''feet'' is an instance of i-mutation. Structure The human foot is a strong and complex mechanical structure containing 26 bones, 33 joints (20 of which are actively articulated), and more than a hundred muscles, tendons, and ligaments.Podiatry Chan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Posterior Compartment Of Leg
The posterior compartment of the leg is one of the fascial compartments of leg, fascial compartments of the leg and is divided further into deep and superficial compartments. Structure Muscles Superficial posterior compartment Deep posterior compartment Blood supply Posterior tibial artery Innervation The posterior compartment of the leg is supplied by the tibial nerve. Function * It contains the plantar flexors: Additional images File:From below - Superficial posterior compartment of leg - animation.gif, Superficial posterior compartment. Animation. File:From below - Deep posterior compartment of leg - animation.gif, Deep posterior compartment. Animation. References External links Diagram at patientcareonline.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Posterior Compartment Of Leg Muscles of the lower limb ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Calf (leg)
The calf (: calves; Latin: ''sura'') is the back portion of the lower leg in human anatomy. The muscles within the calf correspond to the posterior compartment of the leg. The two largest muscles within this compartment are known together as the calf muscle and attach to the heel via the Achilles tendon. Several other, smaller muscles attach to the knee, the ankle, and via long tendons to the toes. Etymology From Middle English ''calf'', ''kalf'', from Old Norse ''kalfi'', possibly derived from the same Germanic root as English '' calf'' ("young cow"). Cognate with Icelandic ''kálfi'' ("calf of the leg"). ''Calf'' and ''calf of the leg'' are documented in use in Middle English circa AD 1350 and AD 1425 respectively. Historically, the ''absence of calf'', meaning a lower leg without a prominent calf muscle, was regarded by some authors as a sign of inferiority: ''it is well known that monkeys have no calves, and still less do they exist among the lower orders of mammals ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Femur
The femur (; : femurs or femora ), or thigh bone is the only long bone, bone in the thigh — the region of the lower limb between the hip and the knee. In many quadrupeds, four-legged animals the femur is the upper bone of the hindleg. The Femoral head, top of the femur fits into a socket in the pelvis called the hip joint, and the bottom of the femur connects to the shinbone (tibia) and kneecap (patella) to form the knee. In humans the femur is the largest and thickest bone in the body. Structure The femur is the only bone in the upper Human leg, leg. The two femurs converge Anatomical terms of location, medially toward the knees, where they articulate with the Anatomical terms of location, proximal ends of the tibiae. The angle at which the femora converge is an important factor in determining the femoral-tibial angle. In females, thicker pelvic bones cause the femora to converge more than in males. In the condition genu valgum, ''genu valgum'' (knock knee), the femurs conve ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tibialis Anterior Muscle
The tibialis anterior muscle is a muscle of the anterior compartment of the lower leg. It originates from the upper portion of the tibia; it inserts into the medial cuneiform and first metatarsal bones of the foot. It acts to dorsiflex and invert the foot. This muscle is mostly located near the shin. It is situated on the lateral side of the tibia; it is thick and fleshy above, tendinous below. The tibialis anterior overlaps the anterior tibial vessels and deep peroneal nerve in the upper part of the leg. Structure The tibialis anterior muscle is the most medial muscle of the anterior compartment of the leg. The muscle ends in a tendon which is apparent on the anteriomedial dorsal aspect of the foot close to the ankle. Its tendon is ensheathed in a synovial sheath. The tendon passes through the medial compartment superior and inferior extensor retinacula of the foot. Origin The tibialis anterior muscle arises from the upper 2/3 of the lateral surface of the tibia and the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
