20th February 2024

Lower limb

The gluteal region contains the superficial and deep muscles. The superficial muscles consist of the gluteal muscles and the tensor fascia lata. The gluteal muscles aid in the extension and abduction of the femur. The tensor fascia lata acts to flex, abduct and internally rotate the hip. The iliotibial band is a continuation of the fascia lata and airs to extend, abduct and laterally rotate the hip. Deep muscles within the gluteal region are located underneath the gluteus minimus and generally act to rotate the hip laterally and provide stability to the hip joint. 

The thigh can be divided into three anatomical compartments. The femoral nerve innervates the anterior compartment and grossly acts to extend the leg at the level of the knee joint. The medial compartment acts as the hip adductor and is innervated by the obturator nerve. The posterior compartment acts as the knee flexors and hip extensors. The sciatic nerve innervates these muscles.

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons (2016). 122 Gluteal Muscles that Move the Femur, Licensed under a creative commons licence. Available for free at: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/1122_Gluteal_Muscles_that_Move_the_Femur.jpg (Accessed: 9 January 2024).

The leg is also divided into three compartments. The anterior compartment of the leg helps to dorsiflex and invert the foot and is typically supplied by the deep fibular nerve. The lateral compartment of the leg helps evert the foot and is innervated by the superficial fibular nerve. Lastly, the posterior compartment aids in both plantarflexion and inversion of the foot. The foot’s musculature predominantly controls the fine movement of the great toe and digits. The medial and lateral plantar nerves innervate these. 

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons (2018). 1123 Muscles of the Leg that Move the Foot and Toes, Licensed under a creative commons licence. Available for free at: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/1123_Muscles_of_the_Leg_that_Move_the_Foot_and_Toes.jpg (Accessed: 9 January 2024).