The fascial compartments of thigh are the three fascial compartments that divide and contain the thigh muscles. The fascia lata is the strong and deep fascia of the thigh that surrounds the thigh muscles and forms the outer limits of the compartments. Internally the muscle compartments are divided by the lateral and medial intermuscular septa.

2. Thigh
• Three Compartments; ant., medial
and posterior

3. Thigh
• Anterior compartment = knee extensors and
some hip flexors; innervated by femoral nerve
• Medial Compartment = hip adductors;
innervated by obturator nerve
• Posterior compartment = hip extensors and
knee flexors; innervated by tibial or common
peroneal nerves

4. femur
medial
lateral
Anterior compartment-
Extensors of the knee
Femoral Nerve
Medial
compartment-
Adductors of the
knee
Obturator Nerve
Posterior
compartment-
Flexors of the
knee
Sciatic Nerve

5. • 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

6. Iliopsoas
Iliacus
Psoas
Sartorius
Quadriceps
femoris
Vastusintermedius
Vastus lateralis
Rectus femoris
Vastus medialis

7. • 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
All above innervated by the femoral nerve!!!

8. Muscle Origin Insertion Action
Sartorius ASIS Upper part of
medial side of
tibia shaft
Flex, abduct, and
laterally rotate hip.
Flex leg
Vastus lateralis Upper end and
femoral shaft
Quadriceps
tendon into
patella, then via
ligamentum
patellae into tibial
tuberosity
Extend leg
Vastus medialis Upper end and
femoral shaft
Patella/tibial
tuberosity
Extend leg
Vastus intermedius Anterior and
lateral surfaces
of femoral shaft
Patella/tibial
tuberosity
Extend leg
Rectus femoris Straight head—
AIIS
Reflected head–
ilium above
acetabulum
Patella/tibial
tuberosity
Extend leg and flex
thigh

10. Muscle Origin Insertion Action
Iliacus Iliac fossa of hip
bone
With psoas into
lesser trochanter
of femur
Flexes thigh on
trunk
Psoas Transverse
processes, and
intervertebral
discs of 12th
thoracic and five
lumbar vertebrae
With psoas into
lesser trochanter
of femur
Flexes thigh on
trunk
Pectineus Superior ramus of
pubis
Upper end of linea
aspera of shaft of
femur
Flexes and
adducts thigh at
hip joint

11. A Reminder – Prime Movers of Hip
Flexion

12. Muscles of anterior compartment of thigh

13. Femoral nerve-
origin & root value-lumber
plexus, L2,3,4
Course-
• emerges from lateral
border of the psoas muscle
• Passes down btw psoas and
iliacus
• Enters thigh by passing
behind inguinal ligament
• About 1.5 in below inguinal
ligament ,terminates by
dividing into ant and post
branches

14. Branches-
Muscular- ant supplies- sartorius & post
supplies all the vasti and rectus femoris
Cutaneous- ant div gives 2 cut ie
intermediate & medial cut nerve of thigh
and post div gives 1 ie saphenous nerve

15. L2
L3
L4
iliopsoas
Rectus
femoris
pectineus
Vastus
medialis
Vastus
intermediu
s
sartorius
Vastus
lateralis
Motor Branches of the
Femoral Nerve

16. • Muscles
• Gracilis, Adductor Longus, Adductor
Brevis, Adductor Magnus
• Common actions
• Adductors

17. Frolich, Human Anatomy, Lower LImb
• Adductor
muscles
– Gracilis
– Adductor
• Magnus
• Longus
• brevis

18. Pectineus
Adductor longus
Adductor brevis
Adductor magnus
Gracilis
Adductor tendinous opening

19. Muscle Origin Insertion Action
Adductor
longus
Body of pubis,
medial to pubic
tubercle
Posterior
surface of
shaft of
femur(linea
aspera)
Adduct thigh at
hip, helps in
lateral rotation
Adductor
brevis
Inferior ramus of
pubis
Posterior
surface of
shaft of
femur(linea
aspera)
Adduct thigh at
hip, helps in
lateral rotation
Adductor
magnus
Inferior ramus of
pubis, ramus of
ischium, ischial
tuberosity
Posterior
surface of
shaft of
femur,
adductor
Adduct thigh,
assists in
lateral rotation.
Hamstring
portion

21. Gracilis Inferior
ramus of
pubis,
ramus of
ischium
Upper part
of shaft of
tibia on
medial
surface
Adduct
thigh at
hip joint,
flex leg
Obturator
nerve
Obturator
externus
Outer
surface of
obturator
membrane
and pubic
and ischial
rami
Medial
surface of
greater
trochanter
Laterally
rotates thigh
at hip joint
Obturator
nerve

23. ◦ Arises from the lumbar plexus in the abdomen.
◦ Enters the thigh through the obturator canal
where it divides into anterior and posterior
branches.
◦ Supplies medial group of muscles of thigh,
obturator externus, and skin of medial side of
thigh

24. Adductus magnus
gracilis
Adductor
longus
Adductor
brevis
Motor Branches of the
Obturator Nerve

25. Obturator n.

26.  Obturator a.
◦ Arises from internal iliac
artery in the lesser pelvis
◦ passes through the
obturator canal where it
divides into anterior and
posterior branches.