What is the name of the inner thigh muscle? Thigh muscles

Today we will talk about the group of hip adductors (hip adductors). Very often these muscles are ignored, which can lead to some problems. These muscles are located on the inner side of the thigh and form the main layer of muscle tissue here.

They pull their legs towards the midline of the body. The adductor muscles of the thigh are a group of several long muscles that form inner surface hips. This group includes: the gracilis muscle, the long, short and magnus adductor muscles, and the pectineus muscle.

Anatomy.

This group includes: gracilis muscle, adductor longus, brevis and magnus, pectineus muscle.

The adductor muscles of the thigh are attached as follows:

Thin muscle begins on the pubic bone and attaches to the tibia.
Adductor longus and brevis muscles begin on the pubic bone and attach to femur.
Adductor magnus muscle- the largest in this group - begins on the ischium and attaches to the femur.
Pectineus muscle originates on the pubic bone and attaches to the femur.

All muscles of the medial (inner) thigh muscle group perform the same function: adduction of the hip and rotation of it outward (supination).

In addition to their main function of adducting the hip, these muscles are involved to some extent in flexion-extension in hip joint and axial rotation of the limb.

Their role in flexion and extension (Fig. 149, internal view) depends on the place of their attachment. Muscles originating posteriorly from the frontal plane passing through the center of the joint (the line of dots and dashes) provide extension, especially the lower fibers of the adductor magnus muscle (i.e., the “third adductor”) and, of course, the ischial muscles are involved in this function. thigh muscles.

If the adductors originate anterior to the frontal plane, they provide flexion. This function involves the pectineus muscle, the adductor brevis and longus, the superior fibers of the adductor magnus muscle, and the gracilis muscle. However, it should be noted that their role in flexion and extension depends on the initial position of the hip joint.

The adductor muscles, as mentioned earlier, provide stabilization of the pelvis when supporting both limbs, thus they play a vital role in taking certain poses and during movements in sports (skiing, Fig. 150, horse riding, Fig. 151).

Main problems with the adductor muscles.

1. Posture (violation of pelvic stability, weakening of the abs and gluteal muscles, “anterior” position of the pelvis)

2. Gait (duck walk, waddling from foot to foot)

3. Decreased flexibility (problems with splits and stretching)

4. Psychosomatic problems

5. Increased risk of injury when playing sports (knee, lower back). I would especially like to draw attention to knee injuries when squatting and damage to the iliotibial tract when running (runner's knee).

6. Pelvic pain.

Pelvic pain.

When walking, the pelvis makes rotational movements in all planes, as well as lateral swing. Stability of the pelvis in the transverse direction is ensured by the simultaneous contraction of the adductor muscles of the thigh on one side and the abductor muscles of the thigh (the gluteus medius and minimus and the tensor fascia lata muscle) on the other, as well as the tension of the oblique abdominal muscles.

Functional weakness of the gluteus medius and minimus will also cause functional overload of the tensor fasciae lata and shortening of the adductors. Trigger points from the adductor muscles of the thigh give referred pain not only at the site of attachment to the pubic bone, but also in the groin area, as well as in the vagina and rectum. Typically, pelvic pain increases when walking.

When walking, the pelvis twists in different directions, and the tension in the muscles of the pelvic diaphragm changes accordingly. If there is unilateral fixation of the pelvic muscles, for example, due to adhesions, then the biomechanics of the pelvis will be disrupted, which can also cause pelvic pain. The normal functioning of the perineal muscles is significantly impaired in women who, after an episiotomy, had sutures placed without taking into account the layer-by-layer arrangement.

Trigger points in the adductor muscles.

Pelvic pain due to overstrain of the adductor muscles of the thigh. If stress points are present in the adductors, pain occurs in the groin and inner thighs. In addition, this pain can interfere with hip abduction, lateral movement, and rotation, which indicates problems with the abductor muscles. Other symptoms include pain deep in the pelvis, in the bladder or vagina, and sometimes during sexual intercourse. Unfortunately, people often look outside the muscles for the source of these pains.

The adductor longus and brevis muscles connect the pubis and femur. Stress points in these muscles lead to pain in the groin and upper inner thigh. Stress points at the top of the longus muscle can make it difficult for the knee joint to move. The pain usually increases with increased activity, as well as while standing or carrying a load.

Adductor large muscle located behind the long and short muscles, it runs from the groin along the entire length of the thigh and connects the sit bones to the backs of the two thigh bones. Stress points in this muscle cause pain in the groin and inner thigh, which can radiate down to the knee. In addition, all adductor muscles can cause severe pain in the pubic bone, vagina, rectum and bladder. These pains are so severe that they are confused with pelvic inflammation and other diseases of the reproductive organs and bladder.

Psychosomatic hypertonicity of the adductor muscles.

Hypertonicity of the adductor muscles is associated with impaired regulation of sexual activity. The adductors consist of the superficial and deep hip adductors, which cause a “leg squeeze.” Their function, practiced especially often by women, is to suppress sexual arousal. They are used to compress the legs, preventing access to the genitals - women especially often do this. In vegetotherapeutic work the name “moral muscles” was assigned to them. Viennese anatomist Julius Tandler jokingly called these muscles “custodes virginitatis” (“guardians of virginity”).

These muscles, both in those suffering from muscle tension and in many patients with character neurosis, appear to the touch as thick, unrelaxable and pressure-sensitive nodules on the upper inner side of the thighs. These include the flexor muscles that run from the lower pelvic bones to the upper end of the lower leg. They find themselves in a state of chronic contraction if the sensations of the organs on the pelvic floor are to be suppressed.

Pelvic stability and adductor muscles.

M.Hip adductors can cause the pelvis to tilt forward as a result of internal rotation of the hip. This leads to shortening of the adductor muscles. Pelvic stability is important for correct posture and spinal health. A common problem with squats is the “nod” of the pelvis, which can lead to damage to the spine.

The adductor muscles of the thigh, in addition to their main function, are also capable of flexing or extending the thigh at the hip joints, depending on the angle in them. IN vertical position The adductor muscles of the body act as hip flexors, however, at a flexion angle in the hip joints of 40-70 degrees for different muscles adductors begin to work as extensors. Accordingly, insufficient flexibility of the hip adductors is an important factor leading to a posterior tilt of the pelvis when squatting below parallel.

Core muscles and adductor muscles of the thigh.

With weak core muscles (especially the abs and gluteals), hypertonicity of the adductor muscles of the thigh is observed. Often, hypertonicity of the adductor muscles of the thigh appears with untrained abs. Why? The main task of the abdominal muscles, together with the gluteal muscles, is to keep a person in an upright position. The muscles listed are antagonists. The balance of their tone forms correct position hip joints, and therefore the pelvis - the main support of the human body.

The main function of the press is to flex the body and pelvis. The main function of the buttocks is to extend the pelvis.

When the abdominal muscles weaken, and this is a fairly common occurrence, neighboring muscle masses come to the rescue - the hip flexor (quadriceps thigh muscle) and, if it also becomes insolvent over time due to overload, the adductor muscles of the thigh.

One of the functions that most of the adductor muscles perform is to flex the hip, in addition to adducting it. That. The adductor muscles of the thigh can be involved in the task of maintaining balance when the abs are initially weak, as well as when the buttocks are initially weak. They work “for seven” while the abs are resting.

Based on such knowledge, we can quite elegantly relieve hypertonicity of the hip adductor muscles by strengthening the abs and buttocks (!)

Injuries.

The important muscles that support the knee are the quadriceps (front), hamstrings (back), adductors (on the inside of the thigh and upper leg), and abductors (on the outside thighs and upper legs). Also involved in supporting the knee are the muscles of the buttocks, thighs and calf muscles.

A common manifestation of weakness of the hip adductors is iliotibial syndrome - this is the so-called Overuse Syndrome, which develops due to overload fascia lata hips. As a rule, the disease occurs in athletes, cyclists, runners, and people who like frequent and long walks. Pain most often occurs in the area of the outer (lateral) patella and may radiate up or down the leg. Painful sensations may occur during physical work(for example: running or pedaling), and when climbing stairs and other normal physical activity.

The cause of the development of this syndrome is excessive friction of the lower part of the iliotibial tract on the lateral epicondyle of the femur, over which the tract glides during flexion and extension of the knee joint. The consequence of this overload is inflammation and pain on the outer surface of the knee joint. Strengthening the gluteal muscles and hip adductors helps to get rid of this problem.

Adductor muscle stretches.

The lack of elasticity of these muscles prevents us from performing various asanas correctly and limits the splits. Stiff adductor muscles make it difficult to spread your legs to the sides. In our case, the tender (gracilis) muscle plays a special role. Like other adductors, it brings the thighs toward each other and, like the hamstring muscles, is involved in flexing the lower leg. Therefore, if it is stiff, you will not be able to stretch your legs properly in the pose. Other adductors, being insufficiently elastic, will not allow you to spread your legs wide.

Andrey Beloveshkin

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The bulk of the muscles of the posterior thigh group are involved in straightening the body and walking upright. They provide extension of the thigh at the hip joint and flexion of the shin at the knee joint, as they spread across these two joints, stretching from the ischial tuberosity to the shin. Back group The thigh muscles include the following muscles: semitendinosus muscle (m. semitendinosus), semimembranosus muscle (m. semimembranosus), biceps femoris muscle (m. biceps femoris), popliteus(i.e. popliteus).

Semitendinosus muscle
M. semitendinosus

The muscle is long and thin, located on the medial-medial surface of the thigh at the back. It starts from the ischial tuberosity, goes down, passes into a long tendon, which, together with the tendons of the slender and sartorius muscles, forms the superficial “crow's foot” and is attached to the tuberosity of the tibia.

The semitendinosus muscle (m. semitendinosus) is shown in Fig. 1.

Rice. 1. Posterior thigh muscles:

1 - biceps femoris muscle (m. biceps femoris);

2 - semitendinosus muscle (m. semitendinosus);

3 - semimembranosus muscle (m. semimembranosus).

Function:

tonic muscle.

Semimembranosus muscle
M. semimembranosus

It lies somewhat deeper than the previous muscle. It starts from the ischial tuberosity and descends along the medial edge of the posterior surface of the thigh. The upper half of the muscle is a lamellar tendon, as reflected in the name of the muscle. The distal tendon divides into three fascicles, which form a deep pes anserine and insert on the medial condyle of the tibia.

The semimembranosus muscle (m. semimembranosus) is shown in Fig. 1.

Function:

hip extension at the hip joint;
flexion of the tibia at the knee joint;
internal rotation of the lower leg with the knee bent;
tonic muscle.

Biceps femoris
M. biceps femoris

Located along the lateral edge of the posterior thigh. It begins with two heads, which is what its name is associated with. Long head starts from the ischial tuberosity, short head - from rough line femur. Both heads, descending, form a powerful abdomen, which passes into a long narrow tendon and is attached to the head of the fibula.

The biceps femoris muscle (m. biceps femoris) is shown in Fig. 1.

Function:

hip extension at the hip joint;
flexion of the tibia at the knee joint;
outward rotation of the tibia with the knee bent;
tonic muscle.

Every child studies anatomy at school. However, with age, this knowledge is usually forgotten. Therefore, if a person decides to pump up muscles, then he has to re-study their structure. This is necessary to have a clear idea of which muscles need pumping to create a beautiful relief.

In addition, anatomy helps a person understand which muscles need to be tensed during training and feel them. This article will focus on the structure of the leg muscles.

Anatomy of leg muscles

The leg muscles are conventionally divided into the following sections:

buttock muscles;
muscles in the front of the thighs, called quadriceps;
muscles of the back of the thigh;
calf muscles.

Each muscle section, in turn, consists of other muscles, and which ones will be discussed in more detail below.

Buttocks

Not everyone realizes that the leg muscles begin with the gluteal muscles. Nevertheless, it is true. The human buttocks have the following muscular structure:

Gluteus maximus muscle. It is she who is “responsible” for the movement of the hip, as well as straightening the body and holding it in one position. In addition, this muscle creates a beautiful relief of the butt. It has the largest size of all the muscles in the human body.
Gluteus medius muscle. This extrinsic muscle pelvis It is “responsible” for moving a person’s leg forward and backward. Its functions also include fixing the body during its extension. This muscle forms the relief of the buttocks, so it needs pumping. In this case, squats will help you achieve good results. It is better to perform them with weights. Then the muscle will pump faster.
Gluteus minimus muscle. It is thanks to her that we can move our legs to the sides. Therefore, swinging your leg to the sides helps pump up this muscle.

If you want to upgrade gluteal muscles, then you should pay attention to exercises such as weighted squats, straight lunges, side lunges with and without weights, lying pelvic lifts, swings and leg kicks, etc.

Muscles of the front of the thighs

Quadriceps is quadriceps the front of the human thigh. Its main function is to extend the leg at the knee. It got its name due to the fact that this muscle consists of four more. The anatomy in this case will be as follows:

Rectus muscle. This is the most longus muscle in this building. It is located in front of the other three heads of the quadriceps and almost completely covers them.
Lateral vastus muscle. This is a large muscle that is located on the inside of a person's thigh.
Vastus intermedius muscle. It is located between the lateral and medial muscles and is the most underdeveloped muscle in this structure.
Vastus medialis muscle. It is located on the lower inner thigh.

All muscles of the human quadriceps in anatomy are considered as independent muscles. However, as a rule, they are pumped all together.

In addition, the front of the human thigh includes the adductor muscles, which, in turn, consist of other muscles. Their anatomy will be like this:

This muscle group is “responsible” for hip adduction. This is where it got its name.

The muscles in the front of your thighs can be strengthened with exercises such as weighted squats, weighted leg presses, hack machine exercises, seated leg extensions, etc.

Hamstring muscles

This area is one of the most problem areas bodies of both men and women. In the first case, various imperfections may be observed, in the second case, cellulite. Therefore, these muscles should be given more attention. The anatomy in this case will be as follows:

To form a beautiful leg shape, you need to pump up all the muscles. The exercises mentioned in this article will help you do this. Knowing the rules for their implementation, you can achieve good results in short time.

The muscles that form the thigh are considered the largest in the human body. Depending on their fiber development, the shape of the legs, the ability to perform various movements, as well as the speed of metabolic processes will vary. It is worth noting that the better developed these muscle fibers are, the better the functioning of the body’s urinary and reproductive systems; also, with good preparation, a person does not develop pathologies of the pelvic and knee joints. That is why it is recommended to clearly understand the structure, as well as functional features fibers, which will allow you to more carefully and correctly perform physical exercise during training.

When studying the anatomy of the hips, first of all it is necessary to understand what elements are part of the anterior group, so let’s look at each of them in more detail and determine what function the quadriceps femoris muscle performs, where it is located, and what it consists of.

The name of the fibers speaks for itself; accordingly, it consists of 4 main elements. It is also called quadriceps. It is worth noting that in some individuals one part may be missing. Each element of the presented fibers is responsible for a person’s ability to straighten a limb at the knee and pull the proximal part of the lower limb towards the abdomen.

The largest of the presented group is the vastus lateralis muscle. It is single-pinnate and flat, determining the shape of the lateral part of the area under consideration. The initial point of fixation falls on the area of the bones of the pelvis and hip joint, and below it is attached to the lower leg and kneecap. On top it is enveloped by wide connective tissue. Thanks to the presence of these fibers in the body, a person can freely extend the limb at the knee.

From the inside, on the proximal part of the lower limb, the vastus medialis muscle is located. It is quite thick and flat. In the knee area it moves to the front. It can be noticed when a person is sitting because it forms a cushion under the knee. The upper end is fixed along the entire length of the bone. At the bottom, the attachment forms a ligament that supports the patella. It is characterized by the same function as the previous one.

Between the lateral and medial fibers is the vastus intermedius muscle, which is distinguished by its high plasticity and is also quite wide. Her top part cover straight fibers. In the area of the joint there is an upper attachment point with a bone, and the lower end forms parts of the popliteal ligament. The function is identical to the previous one.

On top of all the fibers of the quadriceps, on the surface, the rectus femoris muscle is localized. The initial point of attachment is considered to be the bony protrusion where the pelvis connects to the spine, above the depression. Bottom part forms the popliteal ligament. The rectus femoris muscle, unlike the others, is not fixed to the bone of the same name. Due to the fact that a person has a rectus femoris muscle, he can pull the knee towards the stomach and straighten the limb in the joint.

The sartorius muscle is about half a meter long and has the shape of a narrow ribbon. It runs diagonally from the outside of the hip joint (origin) and extends toward the inside of the knee joint. Sartorius thighs are located on the surface of the rest muscle fibers the front of the area in question, and is also clearly visible if the person is not obese. The upper point of fixation is the pelvic bones, and the lower point is the tibia. The main task of these fibers is to flex the joint, abduct and rotate it outward, and flex the limb at the knee joint.

Rear

The muscles of the hip joint represented are better known as the biceps. They are responsible for the shape of the back and roundness.

The biceps femoris muscle is quite long and spiral-shaped, it is located on the entire back surface of the thigh. The biceps femoris muscle consists of a long and a short part. The first is fixed in the area of the ischial tubercle above, and below to the lower leg. The short one is fixed at the top on the back surface of the femur, and at the bottom to the tibia. The biceps femoris muscle is responsible for flexing the limb at the knee joint, maintaining balance and extending the joint.

The semitendinosus muscle is also quite long, but it tapers towards the bottom. If the reference point is the biceps femoris muscle, then the semitendinosus fibers are localized closer to the middle of the body. It is fixed on the ischial tuberosity pelvic bone(upper point) and on the lower leg (lower point). The fibers promote joint extension and abduction of the lower leg.

The semimembranosus muscle (long and flat) is localized on the posterior inner part of the zone under consideration. Fixation at the top point falls on the ischial tuberosity, and the bottom point to different parts of the tibia and connective tissue shins. It is responsible for the extension of the joint and flexion of the lower leg.

Domestic

These are the adductor muscles of the thigh, main task which is its direction inward. Thin fibers that look like a ribbon are localized on the surface itself. The fixation points are on the pubis and tibia. The main tasks are pulling inwards, rotating the shin and flexing.

Speaking about pectineal fibers, it is worth clarifying that, unlike adductor fibers, the lower point of fixation is considered to be the middle part of the bone ( inner side). In addition to these functions, they also help a person to bend the joint without difficulty.

There is also a long and short adductor muscle of the thigh, which is also known as quadratus muscle hips. Both are flat, but the first is significantly thick. The main function of the first is to rotate the hip outward. The quadratus femoris muscle in the lower zone expands. At the top it is fixed to the body, at the bottom it is attached to the bone. Thanks to it, a person can bend the leg at the hip joint.

The first fibers are characterized by the most impressive size. At the top point it is fixed to the ischial tuberosity of the pelvis and the pubic bone, at the bottom to the inner thigh bone along the entire length. She is responsible for pulling the hip inward and turning it outward.

There is also a small quadratus femoris muscle. It has the shape of a quadrangle. The quadratus femoris muscle originates in the upper part of the outer side of the ischial tuberosity. Due to the fact that a person has a quadratus femoris muscle in his body, he can rotate it outward.

External

Due to the fact that the body has a tensor latissimus connective tissue, as well as fibers of the buttocks, a person can perform hip abduction. The tensioner is distinguished by its sufficient flatness, as well as its narrowing towards the bottom, but it is quite long. If a person regularly plays sports, and this part is well developed, then the correct roundness will be visible in the area of the lateral surface of the pelvis.

The main task of the tensor is to stretch the broad connective tissue, due to which a person can naturally move (walk or run), flex the hip and strengthen the knee joint, which is caused by the tension of the fascia.

Strengthening

As already mentioned, depending on how developed the fiber groups in question will be, the physical abilities of each person will depend. In order to thoroughly work out each area, it is enough to regularly perform three simple but quite effective exercises. What is typical is that even training at home will not keep you waiting long for results.

You need to start with squats. Initial position: your feet are shoulder-width apart, your back must be straight, your arms can be put forward to help you maintain balance. You need to lower slowly while exhaling, until your thighs are parallel to the floor, rising slowly, while inhaling. Two sets of 15 squats are recommended.

Also works well for all groups lower limbs push exercise. You need to kneel down and place your hands on the floor. It is important to correctly distribute the weight. After this, you need to bend your knee and pull it towards chest, and straightening it back. The back should be straight. We recommend 2 sets of 15 times on each leg.

And the last thing they do is lunge backwards. You need to stand straight, place your feet hip-width apart, and place your hands on your waist. The body weight is transferred to the leg being worked on. Then they take a breath, and the limb on which they were leaning is put back. The body remains straight. As you exhale, you need to push off the floor with your working leg and lift your extended limb up. 20 such repetitions are done for each leg and in 2 approaches.

Features (video)

The thigh muscles are involved in walking upright and maintaining the body in an upright position by moving long bony levers. In this regard, they become long and grow together into powerful masses with one common tendon, forming multicipital muscles (for example, biceps and quadriceps femoris). The thigh muscles are divided into 3 groups: anterior (mainly extensors), posterior (flexors) and medial (adductors).

The last group acts on the hip joint, and the first two also, and predominantly, on the knee joint, producing movement mainly around its frontal axis, which is determined by their position on the anterior and back surfaces thighs and attachment to the lower leg.

On the lateral side, the anterior and posterior muscle groups are separated from each other by the lateral intermuscular septum, septum intermuscular laterale of the femoral fascia, attached to the lateral lip linea aspera femoris, and on the medial side a layer of adductor muscles is wedged between them.

Anterior thigh muscle group

1. M. quadriceps femoris, quadriceps femoris muscle, occupies the entire anterior and partly lateral surface of the thigh and consists of four interconnected heads, namely:

M. rectus femoris, rectus femoris muscle, lies superficially and starts from the spina iliaca anterior inferior and from the upper edge of the acetabulum, being covered at its beginning m. tensor fasciae latae, etc. sartorius. The rectus muscle runs along the middle of the thigh and above the patella connects to the common tendon of the entire quadriceps muscle.

M. vastus lateralis, the vastus lateralis muscle, surrounds the femur on the lateral side, originating from the linea intertrochanterica, from the lateral surface of the greater trochanter and the lateral lip of the linea aspera femoris. The muscle fibers go obliquely downwards and end at some distance above the patella.

M. vastus medialis, the vastus medialis muscle, lies medial to the femur, starting from the labium mediate lineae aspera femoris. Its muscle bundles run in an oblique direction from the medial side to the side and downwards.

M. vastus intermedius, the vastus intermedius muscle, lies directly on the anterior surface of the femur, from which it originates, reaching proximally almost to the linea intertrochanterica. Its fibers run parallel in a vertical direction to the common tendon.

The vastus intermedius muscle is covered at the edges m. vastus lateralis And vastus medialis, with which it merges here. In front of her lies m. rectus femoris. All these parts of the quadriceps muscle above the knee joint form a common tendon, which, fixed to the base and lateral edges of the patella, continues into the lig. patellae, attached to tuberositas tibiae.

Part of tendon fibers mm. vastus lateralis et mediates on the sides of the patellae go down to the sides, forming the retinacula patellae, which were mentioned in arthrology. Patella, inserted as if in a frame, into the tendon of the quadriceps muscle, increases the shoulder muscle strength, which increases the moment of its rotation.

Function. Extensor of the tibia in the knee joint. M. rectus femoris, spreading over the hip joint, bends it. (Inn. L3-4. N. femoralis.)

2. M. sartorius, sartorius muscle. Starting from the spina iliaca anterior superior, it descends in the form of a long ribbon down and to the medial side and attaches to the fascia of the leg and tuberositas tibiae.

Function. Bends knee-joint, and when the latter is bent, it rotates the lower leg medially, acting together with other muscles attached to the lower leg in the same place as it. Can also flex and supinate the thigh at the hip joint, supporting the m. iliopsoas and m. rectus femoris. (Inn. L2-3 N. femoralis.)