Deep Muscles of the Leg and Foot (Second Posterior View)
Anatomy Terms
- Abductor Digiti Minimi Muscle of Foot
- Abductor Hallucis Muscle
- Adductor Brevis Muscle
- Adductor Longus Muscle
- Adductor Magnus Muscle
- Biceps Femoris Muscle (Long Head)
- Biceps Femoris Muscle (Short Head)
- Calcaneal (Achilles) Tendon
- Dorsal Interosseous Muscles of Foot
- Extensor Digitorum Longus Muscle
- Extensor Hallucis Brevis Muscle
- Extensor Hallucis Longus Muscle
- Flexor Digitorum Brevis Muscle
- Flexor Digitorum Longus Muscle
- Flexor Hallucis Longus Muscle
- Flexor Retinaculum of Foot
- Gastrocnemius Muscle (Lateral Head)
- Gastrocnemius Muscle (Medial Head)
- Gluteus Maximus Muscle
- Gluteus Medius Muscle
- Gluteus Minimus Muscle
- Gracilis Muscle
- Iliacus Muscle
- Iliopsoas Muscle
- Iliotibial Tract
- Inferior Extensor Retinaculum
- Inferior Gemellus Muscle
- Lumbrical Muscles of Foot
- Muscles of the Ankle and Foot
- Muscles of the Hip
- Muscles of the Knee
- Pectineus Muscle
- Peroneus Brevis Muscle
- Peroneus Longus Muscle
- Peroneus Tertius Muscle
- Piriformis Muscle
- Plantaris Muscle
- Popliteus Muscle
- Quadriceps Femoris Tendon
- Rectus Femoris Muscle
- Sartorius Muscle
- Semimembranosus Muscle
- Semitendinosus Muscle
- Soleus Muscle
- Superior Extensor Retinaculum
- Superior Gemellus Muscle
- Tibialis Anterior Muscle
- Tibialis Posterior Muscle
- Vastus Intermedius Muscle
- Vastus Lateralis Muscle
- Vastus Medialis Muscle
Full Deep Muscles of the Leg and Foot (Second Posterior View) Description
[Continued from above] . . . Many of these muscles are particularly large. This includes the hamstring muscles, and their tendon (hamstring), which flex and rotate the leg laterally and extend the thigh.
The deep muscles of the upper leg include the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, piriformis, superior gemellus, inferior gemellus, quadriceps femoris, semimembranosus, semitendinosus, popliteus, and the biceps femoris. These hip and thigh muscles help flex and rotate the leg as well as extend the thigh.
The hamstring muscle on the back of the thigh is made up of the semimembranosus, semitendinosus, and the biceps femoris. The gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus muscles are all part of the buttock. They cause the leg to straighten at the hip, move the thigh out and rotate it medially, as well as allow the body to rise from a sitting position.
Below that, the complex ligamentous system of the knee is the site of muscle attachment for some of the most powerful muscles in the body. And below the knee, a number of muscles that function to move the ankle, foot, and toes are located in the lower leg. Included here are the muscles of the calf, which join the strong Achilles tendon, descend to the heel, and attach to the calcaneus. Altogether, they are responsible for a variety of movements of the foot and ankle, in addition to maintaining balance when the body is at rest.
The deep muscles of the lower leg and foot include the popliteus, the tibialis posterior, the flexor hallucis longus, and the flexor digitorum longus.
The popliteus unlocks the knee joint. The tibialis posterior, one of the main stabilizing muscles in the lower leg, comes from the interosseus membrane and the surrounding areas of bone. The medial malleolus passes in front of it. It separates into a thicker and a weaker part along the bottom of the foot. The thicker medial portion attaches to the navicular bone and the lateral weaker portion inserts into three cuneiform bones.
From the interosseus membrane and the fibula, the flexor hallucis longus is formed. Its tendon stretches to the bottom of the foot to attach at the bottom of the hallux’s last phalanx. This muscle helps with supination and allows the hallux to plantarflex.
The flexor digitorum longus comes from the tibia’s upper part. The tendon for this muscle also goes to the foot’s bottom. Here it separates into four tendons and attaches to the four lateral toes’ last phalanges.