The document provides a comprehensive overview of the anatomy of the lower limb, detailing its surface anatomy, skeletal composition, joints, and muscle groups, along with their functions and innervations. It describes the major bones, such as the femur, tibia, and fibula, and explains the roles of various muscles in movement and locomotion. Additionally, it covers the neurovascular structures associated with the lower limb and their anatomical relationships.

1. The Lower Limb
An Overview

2. Surface Anatomy

3. Surface Anatomy
 Gluteal region /
posterior pelvis
Iliac crest
Gluteus maximus
Cheeks
Natal/gluteal cleft
Vertical midline;
“Crack”
Gluteal folds
Bottom of cheek;
“prominence”

4. Surface Anatomy
 Anterior thigh and leg
Palpate
Patella
Condyles of femur
Femoral Triangle
Boundaries:
Sartorius (lateral)
Adductor longus (medial)
Inguinal ligament (superior)
Contents:
Femoral artery, vein and
nerve, lymph nodes

5. Surface Anatomy
 Posterior leg
Popliteal fossa
Diamond-shape fossa
behind knee
Boundaries
Biceps femoris
(superior-lateral)
Semitendinosis and
semimembranosis
(superior-medial)
Gastrocnemius heads
(inferior)
Contents
Popliteal artery and vein
Calcaneal (Achilles)
tendon

6. Surface Anatomy
 Anterior leg bones
Tibia
Tibial tuberosity
Anterior crest
Medial surface
Medial malleolus
Fibula
Lateral malleolus

7. Skeletal
Composition

8. Bones of the Lower Limb
 Function:
 Locomotion
 Carry weight of entire erect body
 Support
 Points for muscular attachments
 Components:
 Thigh
 Femur
 Knee
 Patella
 Leg
 Tibia (medial)
 Fibula (lateral)
 Foot
 Tarsals (7)
 Metatarsals (5)
 Phalanges (14)

9. Thigh
 Femur
Largest, longest,
strongest bone in the
body!!
Receives a lot of
stress
Courses medially
More in women!
Articulates with
acetabulum proximally
Articulates with tibia
and patella distally

10. Knee
 Patella
Triangular sesamoid
bone
Protects knee joint
Improves leverage of
thigh muscles acting
across the knee
Contained within
patellar ligament

11. Leg
 Tibia
 Receives the weight of body
from femur and transmits to foot
 Second to femur in size and
weight
 Articulates with fibula proximally
and distally
 Interosseous membrane
 Fibula
 Does NOT bear weight
 Muscle attachment
 Not part of knee joint
 Stabilize ankle joint

12. Foot
 Function:
 Supports the weight of the
body
 Act as a lever to propel the
body forward
 Parts:
 Tarsals
 Talus = ankle
 Between tibia and fibula
 Articulates with both
 Calcaneus = heel
 Attachment for Calcaneal
tendon
 Carries talus
 Navicular
 Cuboid
 Medial, lateral and
intermediate cuneiforms
 Metatarsals
 Phalanges

13. Foot
 3 arches
Medial
Lateral
Transverse
Has tendons that run
inferior to foot bones
Help support arches
of foot
 Function
Recoil after stepping
Longitudinal

14. Joints of Lower Limb
 Hip (femur + acetabulum)
 Ball + socket
 Multiaxial
 Synovial
 Knee (femur + tibia)
 Hinge (modified)
 Biaxial
 Synovial
 Contains menisci, bursa, many
ligaments
 Knee (femur + patella)
 Plane
 Gliding of patella
 Synovial

15. Joints of Lower Limb
 Proximal Tibia + Fibula
 Plane, Gliding
 Synovial
 Distal Tibia + Fibula
 Slight “give” (synarthrosis)
 Fibrous (syndesmosis)
 Ankle (Tibia/Fibula + Talus)
 Hinge, Uniaxial
 Synovial
 Intertarsal & Tarsal-metatarsal
 Plane, synovial
 Metatarsal-phalanges
 Condyloid, synovial
 Interphalangeal
 Hinge, uniaxial

16. Muscles

17. Muscles of Hip and Thigh
 Gluteals
 Posterior pelvis
 Extend thigh
 Rotate thigh
 Abducts thigh
 Anterior Compartment Thigh
 Flexes thigh at hip
 Extends leg at knee
 Medial/Adductor
Compartment
 Adducts thigh
 Medially rotates thigh
 Posterior Compartment
Thigh
 Extends thigh
 Flexes leg

18. Gluteals
 Gluteus maximus
 Origin - Ilium, sacrum and coccyx
 Insertion - Gluteal tuberosity of femur,
iliotibial tract
 Action - Extends thigh, some lateral
rotation and abduction
 Innervation - Inferior gluteal nerve
 Gluteus medius
 Gluteus minimus
 Origin - Ilium
 Insertion - Greater trochanter of femur
 Action - Abduction, medial rotation
 Innervation - Superior gluteal nerve
 Lesser Gluteals help stabilize hip
to allow fluent bipedal walking

19. Posterior Pelvis
 Tensor fasciae latae
Origin – iliac crest and
anterior inferior iliac spine
Insertion – iliotibial tract
Action - Flex thigh, abduct
thigh, medial rotation of
thigh
Innervation – Superior
gluteal nerve

20. Anterior Compartment Thigh
 Quadriceps femoris
 Rectus femoris
 Origin – anterior inferior iliac
spine, margin of acetabulum
 Insertion – patella and tibial
tuberosity via the patellar
ligament
 Action – extends knee, flexes
thigh
 Vastus lateralis
 Vastus medialis
 Vastus intermedius
 Origin - femur
 Insertion – patella and tibial
tuberosity via the patellar
ligament
 Action – extends knee
 Sartorius
 Origin - anterior superior iliac
spine
 Insertion – medial tibia
 Action - flex, abduct, lat rotate
thigh; weak knee flexor
All above innervated by the femoral nerve!!!

21. Anterior Compartment Thigh
 Iliopsoas
 Origin - Ilia, sacrum,
lumbar vertebrae
Insertion – lesser
trochanter
Action – flexor of thigh
Innervation – femoral
nerve

22. Adductors
 Adductor longus
 Adductor brevis
 Adductor magnus
 Origin – inferior pelvis
 Insertion - femur
 Action – adducts and medial rotates
 Innervation – Obturator nerve
 Pectineus
 Origin - pubis
 Insertion – lesser trochanter
 Action – adducts, medial rotates
 Innervation – femoral, sometimes
obturator
 Gracilis
 Origin - pubis
 Insertion – medial tibia
 Action – adducts thigh, flex, medial,
rotates leg
 Innervation – Obturator nerve

23. Posterior Compartment - Hamstring
 Biceps femoris (2 heads)
Origin – ischial tuberosity, distal
femur
Insertion - lateral tibia, head
fibula
Action - thigh extension, knee
flexion, lateral rotation
 Semitendinosus
 Semimembranosus
Origin - ischial tuberosity
Insertion - medial tibia
Action - thigh extension, knee
flexion, medial rotation
Sciatic nerve innervates all of the above muscles!!!

24. Muscles of the Leg
 Anterior Compartment
 Dorsiflex ankle, invert foot, extend toes
 Innervation: Deep fibular nerve
 Lateral Compartment
 Plantarflex, evert foot
 Innervation: Superficial Fibular nerve
 Posterior Compartment
 Superficial and deep layers
 Plantarflex foot, flex toes
 Innervation: Tibial nerve

25. Anterior Compartment
 Tibialis anterior
 Origin - tibia
 Insertion - tarsals
 Action - dorsiflexion, foot inversion
 Extensor digitorum longus
 Origin – tibia and fibula
 Insertion - phalanges
 Action – toe extension
 Extensor hallucis longus
 Origin – fibula, interosseous
membrane
 Insertion – big toe
 Action - extend big toe, dorsiflex
foot
All innervated by deep fibular nerve

26. Lateral Compartment
 Fibularis (peroneus) longus
Origin – lateral fibula
Insertion – 5th
metatarsal,
tarsal
Action - plantarflex, evert
foot
 Fibularis (peroneus) brevis
Origin – distal fibula
Insertion - proximal fifth
metatarsal
Action – same as above!!
All innervated by the superficial fibular nerve

27. Superficial Posterior Compartment
 Triceps surae
 Gastrocnemius (2 heads)
 Origin - medial and lateral condyles of
femur
 Insertion - posterior calcaneus via
Achilles tendon
 Soleus
 Origin – tibia and fibula
 Insertion – same as above
 Action of both – plantarflex foot
 Plantaris (variable)
 Origin – posterior femur
 Insertion – same as above!
 Action – plantarflex foot, week knee
flexion
All innervated by the tibial nerve

28. Deep Posterior Compartment
 Popliteus
 Origin - lateral condyle femur
and lateral meniscus
 Insertion – proximal tibia
 Action – flex and medially rotate leg
 Flexor digitorum longus
 Origin - tibia
 Insertion - distal phalanges of toe 2-5
 Action – plantarflex and invert foot, flex toe
 Flexor hallucis longus
 Origin - fibula
 Insertion - distal phalanx of hallux
 Action - plantarflex and invert foot, flex toe
 Tibialis posterior
 Origin – tibia, fibula, and interosseous
membrane
 Insertion - tarsals and metatarsals
 Action - plantarflex and invert foot
All innervated by the tibial nerve

30. Innervation

31. Plexuses of the Lower Limb
 “Lumbosacral plexus”
 Lumbar Plexus
 Arises from L1-L4
 Lies within the psoas major
muscle
 Mostly anterior structures
 Sacral Plexus
 Arises from spinal nerve L4-S4
 Lies caudal to the lumbar
plexus
 Mostly posterior structures

32. Lumbar Plexus
 Femoral nerve
 Cutaneous branches
 Thigh, leg, foot (e.g. saphenous nerve)
 Motor branches
 Anterior thigh muscles (e.g. quadriceps,
sartorius, iliopsoas)
 Obturator nerve
 Sensory
 Skin medial thigh; hip, knee joints
 Motor
 Adductor muscles
 Lateral femoral cutaneous
 Sensory
 Skin lateral thigh
 Genitofemoral
 Sensory
 Skin scrotum, labia major, anterior thigh
 Motor
 Cremaster muscle

33. Sacral Plexus
 Sciatic
 Motor:
 Hamstring
 Branches into:
 Tibial nerve
 Cutaneous
 Posterior leg and sole of foot
 Motor
 Posterior leg, foot
 Common fibular (peroneal) nerve
 Cutaneous
 Anterior and lateral leg, dorsum foot
 Motor
 Lateral compartment, tibialis anterior,
toe extensors
 Superior gluteal nerve
 Motor
 Gluteus medius and minimus, tensor
fasciae latae

34. Sacral Plexus (continued)
 Inferior gluteal nerve
Motor
Gluteus maximus
 Posterior femoral
cutaneous nerve
Sensory
Inferior buttocks, posterior
thigh, popliteal fossa
 Pudendal nerve
Sensory
External genitalia, anus
Motor
Muscles of perineum

35. Vasculature

36. Arteries
 Common iliac (from
aorta) branches into:
Internal iliac
Supplies pelvic organs
External iliac
Supplies lower limb

37. Arteries
 Internal iliac branches into:
Cranial and Caudal Gluteals
(Superior and Inferior)
Gluteals
Internal Pudendal
Perineum, external genitalia
Obturator
Adductor muscles
Other branches supply rectum,
bladder, uterus, vagina, male
reproductive glands

38. Arteries
 External iliac becomes…….
 Femoral
 Once passes the inguinal ligament
 Lower limb
 Branches into Deep femoral
 Adductors, hamstrings, quadriceps
 Branches into Medial/lateral femoral
circumflex
 Head and neck of femur
 Femoral becomes……
 Popliteal (continuation of femoral)
 Branches into:
 Geniculars
 Knee
 Splits into:
 Anterior Tibial
 Anterior leg muscles, further branches to
feet
 Posterior Tibial
 Flexor muscles, plantar arch, branches to
toes

39. Veins  Deep Veins: Mostly share names of
arteries
 Ultimately empty into Inferior Vena
Cava
 Plantar
 Tibial
 Fibular
 Popliteal
 Femoral
 External/internal iliac
 Common iliac
 Superficial Veins
 Dorsal venous arch (foot)
 Great saphenous (empties into
femoral)
 Small saphenous (empties into
popliteal)

41. Frolich, Human Anatomy, Lower LImb
Lower Limb
 Skeleton (homologous with upper limb)
 Muscles--anterior, posterior compartments
 Nerves--sciatic, femoral
 Surface anatomy

42. Frolich, Human Anatomy, Lower LImb

43. Frolich, Human Anatomy, Lower LImb
Tibia/fibula
 Tibia--big toe side
 Fibula--little toe side
(no pronation/supination)

44. Frolich, Human Anatomy, Lower LImb
Ankle
 Tarsus--forms ankle
joint
 Calcaneus--forms
heel

45. Frolich, Human Anatomy, Lower LImb
Foot
 Function:
 Support weight
 Act as lever when walking
 Tarsals
 Talus = ankle
• Between tibia + fibula
• Articulates w/both
 Calcaneus = heel
• Attachment for Calcaneal
tendon
• Carries talus
 Metatarsals
 Homologous to metacarpals
 Phalanges
 Smaller, less nimble

46. Frolich, Human Anatomy, Lower LImb
Joints of Lower Limb
 Hip (femur +
acetabulum)
 Ball + socket
 Multiaxial
 Synovial
 Knee (femur + patella)
 Plane
 Gliding of patella
 Synovial
 Knee (femur + tibia)
 Hinge
 Biaxial
 Synovial

47. Frolich, Human Anatomy, Lower LImb
Joints of Lower Limb
 Proximal Tibia + Fibula
 Plane
 Gliding
 Synovial
 Distal Tibia + Fibula
 Slight “give”
 Fibrous
 Ankle (Tibia/Fibula + Talus)
 Hinge
 Uniaxial
 Synovial
pg 218

48. Frolich, Human Anatomy, Lower LImb
Lower Limb Movements
 Hip
Flexion/extension
Abduction/adduction
Lateral/medial rotation
 Knee
Flexion/extension
 Ankle
Dorsiflexion/plantarflexion
Inversion/eversion
 Toes
Flexion/extension
 Bending on posterior side
is flexion (except hip)
 Bending on anterior sided
is extension (except hip)

49. Frolich, Human Anatomy,
Lower LImb
Anterior/Posterior compartments
ANTERIOR
COMPARTMENT
POSTERIOR
COMPARTMENT
MOVEMENT Extension Flexion
MUSCLES Quads
Shin
Hamstrings
Gastrocs
NERVES Femoral n.
(lumbar plexus)
Sciatic n.
(sacral plexus)

50. Frolich, Human Anatomy, Lower LImb
Thigh movements by
compartment

51. Frolich, Human Anatomy, Lower LImb
Posterior Thigh
 Gluts (gluteal nn.)
 Maximus—extensor of thigh
 Medius--pelvic tilt
 Lateral rotators (spinal nn.)
 Piriformis syndrome
 Hamstrings (sciatic n.)
 Biceps femoris
 Semimembranous
 Semitendinous

52. Frolich, Human Anatomy,
Lower LImb
Anterior thigh (femoral n.)
 Sartorius (Tailor’s
muscle)
 Quads (four)
 Rectus femoris
(crosses hip)
 3 vastus mm. (vast--
big)

53. Frolich, Human Anatomy, Lower LImb
Medial compartment (obturator n.)
 Adductor muscles
Gracilis
Adductor
Magnus
Longus
brevis

54. Frolich, Human Anatomy, Lower LImb
Leg movements by
compartment (in leg all nn are branches of sciatic)

55. Frolich, Human Anatomy,
Lower LImb
Anterior Leg (deep fibular n.)

56. Frolich, Human Anatomy,
Lower LImb
Lateral Leg (superficial fibular n.)
 Fibularis
brevis/longus

57. Frolich, Human Anatomy, Lower LImb
Posterior Leg (tibial n.)

58. Frolich, Human Anatomy, Lower LImb
Intrinsics of foot

59. Frolich, Human Anatomy, Lower LImb

60. Frolich, Human Anatomy, Lower LImb
Dermatomes show twisting of
leg in development

61. Frolich, Human Anatomy, Lower LImb
supply to
lower limb

62. Frolich, Human Anatomy, Lower LImb
Surface Anatomy:
Posterior Pelvis
 Iliac crest
 Gluteus maximus = cheeks
 Natal/gluteal cleft = crack
 Gluteal folds = bottom of cheek
pg 789

63. Frolich, Human Anatomy, Lower LImb
Surface Anatomy:
Anterior Thigh + Leg
 Palpate
Patella
Condyles of femur
 Femoral Triangle
Sartorius (lateral)
Adductor longus (medial)
Inguinal ligament
(superior)
Femoral a + v, lymph
nodes
pg 785
pg 792

64. Frolich, Human Anatomy, Lower LImb
Surface Anatomy: Posterior Leg
 Popliteal fossa
Diamond-shape fossa
behind knee
 Boundaries
Biceps femoris (sup-lat)
Semitendinosis +
semimembranosis (sup-
med)
Gastrocnemius heads (inf)
 Contents
Popliteal a + v
 Calcaneal (Achilles)
tendon
pg 793