Upper leg & Knee-Anatomy

  Overview


The legs are the two lower limbs of the body. They provide support and a range of movements.


Each leg contains five regions. They’re known as the:


upper leg


knee


lower leg


ankle


foot


Upper leg anatomy and function


The upper leg is often called the thigh. It’s the area that runs from the hip to the knee in each leg.


Upper leg bones


Femur. Also called the thigh bone, this is the longest bone in the body. It’s also one of the strongest. It can account for about a quarter of someone’s height.


Upper leg muscles


Hamstrings


The hamstrings are three muscles located on the back of the thigh. They allow the knees to bend.


The three hamstrings are the:


semimembranosus


semitendinosus


biceps femoris


Learn how to prevent and treat hamstring pain.


Quadriceps


The quadriceps are four muscles located on the front of the thigh. They allow the knees to straighten from a bent position.


The four quadriceps are the:


vastus lateralis


vastus medialis


vastus intermedius


rectus femoris


Try these three quadriceps stretches if you’re a runner.


Adductors


The adductors are five muscles located on the inside of the thigh. They allow the thighs to come together.


The five adductors are the:


adductor magnus


adductor longus


adductor brevis


obturator externus


gracilis


Learn how to strengthen your adductors.


Knee anatomy and function


The knee joins the upper leg and the lower leg. It’s also the largest joint in the body. In addition to bearing the weight of the upper body, the knee allows for walking, running, and jumping. It also allows for rotation and pivoting.


Knee bones


Patella. Also called the kneecap, the patella serves as a point of attachment for different tendons and ligaments. It also helps protect them from damage.


Knee ligaments


Ligaments are bands of connective tissue that surround a joint. They help support joints and keep them from moving too much.


The knee contains four major ligaments:


Anterior cruciate ligament. This prevents the tibia in the lower leg from moving too far forward.


Posterior cruciate ligament. This prevents the knee from moving too far backward.


Medial collateral ligament. This provides stability for the inner knee.


Lateral collateral ligament. This helps stabilize the outer knee.


Knee tendons


Tendons are also bands of connective tissue. They’re found on the ends of muscles, where they help attach muscle to bone. The largest tendon in the knee is the patellar tendon. It attaches the tibia to the patella. The quadriceps tendon attaches the quadriceps muscle to the patella.


What’s the difference between tendons and ligaments? Find out here.


Other important structures


The knee contains a variety of structures that help it support weight and allow a range of movements. Some of the most important structures include:


Bursa. Bursae (plural) are small sacs filled with fluid in the knee joint. There are about 14 of them in each knee. They help reduce friction and inflammation in the knee.


Meniscus. The knee contains two menisci (plural), known as the medial meniscus and lateral meniscus. They’re discs of cartilage that act as shock absorbers. In addition, they help evenly distribute weight, providing balance and stability.

















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