Which muscle straightens the ankle

The quadriceps femoris muscle group rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medius, and vastus intermedius crosses the knee via the patella and acts to extend the leg.

The hamstring group muscles semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and biceps femoris flex the knee and extend the hip. Key Terms hamstring group : A group of three muscles found in the posterior region of the thigh, responsible for flexing of the lower leg at the knee.

Anterior Muscles of the Thigh a Posterior muscles of the thigh and b posterior region of the lower leg: The biceps femoris and synergistic semitendinosus and the semimembranosus muscles are responsible for flexing of the lower leg at the knee. Attachments: Originates from the pelvis and attaches to the tibia. Actions: Flexing of the lower leg at the knee joint. Quadriceps Femoris : The quadriceps femoris is actually composed of four muscles that comprise the front of the thigh: three deep-lying vastus muscles lateralis, intermedius, and medialis and the rectus femoris which covers them.

All four muscles are the key extensors of the lower leg at the knee joint and also stabilize and protect the patella. Attachments: The vastus lateralis, intermedius, and medialis originate from the femur and attach to the patella. Eversion tilting of the sole of the foot away from the midline and inversion tilting of the sole of the foot inwards towards the midline is controlled by the subtalar joint formed between the talus and calcaneus bones of the foot.

The ankle joint is held in place by numerous strong ligaments that can be easily damaged when excessive force is placed on the ankle, particularly during strenuous inversion and eversion.

Movement at the ankle is key for maintenance of posture and balance, but is most important in locomotion. Variation in muscle activation can control the movement of the ankle joint, allowing the foot to generate graduated force. Muscles that generate movement at the ankle are generally found in the lower leg and can be split into three categories. Three muscles in the anterior compartment of the leg act to dorsiflex and invert the foot at the ankle joint.

Several muscles are located in the posterior compartment of the leg, typically grouped into superficial and basal groups. The majority of these muscles work to plantarflex the foot at the ankle. Two muscles found in the lateral compartment function to control eversion of the foot. Physiologically, there is a preference for the foot to invert, so these muscles also prevent excessive inversion. The foot plays a fundamental role in maintaining upright walking posture and balance, so it must provide a strong base while allowing for small, accurate movements.

The foot can be split into dorsal and plantar compartments, the latter of which contains significantly more muscles.

Although many extrinsic muscles attach within the dorsal compartment, there are only three intrinsic muscles which act on the foot and two extrinsic muscles which act on the foot rather than the ankle. The muscles of the plantar compartment play a key role in stabilizing the arch of the foot and controlling the digits, providing the necessary strength and fine movements to maintain balance and posture and promote walking.

Plantar View of Foot : The muscles, tendons, and ligaments of the sole of the foot with flexor digitorum brevis shown in red. Privacy Policy. Skip to main content.

Muscular System. Search for:. Muscles of the Lower Limb. Muscles that Cause Movement at the Hip Joint The four main groups of hip muscles are gluteal, adductor, iliopsoas, and lateral rotator, defined by the type of movement they mediate. Learning Objectives Differentiate among the muscles involved in moving the hip joint. Key Takeaways Key Points The gluteus maximus extends the hip, while the gluteus medius and minimus are involved in hip rotation and abduction moving hip out from the midline.

The adductor group adductor brevis, longus, and magnus along with petineus and gracilis moves the femur towards the midline from an abducted position. The iliopsoas group of muscles iliacus and psoas major is responsible for hip flexion. The lateral rotator group of muscles externus and internus obturators, the piriformis, the superior and inferior gemelli, and the quadratus femoris turns the anterior surface of the femur outward.

This motion is aided by the gluteus maximus and the adductor magnus. Key Terms adductor group : The adductor brevis, adductor longus, adductor magnus, pectineus, and gracilis. Gluteus Maximus : The gluteus maximus is the largest of the gluteal muscles and gives structure to the buttocks. Attachments: Originates from the posterior of the pelvis and coccyx tailbone and attaches to the femur. Actions: Extends of the thigh and assists with rotation. Is only used when the generation of force is required e.

Gluteus Medius : The fan-shaped gluteus medius muscle lies between the gluteus maximus and minimus and performs a similar function to the gluteus minimus. Attachments: Originates from the posterior of the pelvis and attaches to the femur. Actions: Abducts and medially rotates the thigh and fixes the pelvis during walking.

Don't miss out! Save now. Be in a class of your own. Ends soon! Act now. Create your story as an ACE Specialist. Limited time! Talk with an Advisor. Exercise Science. Muscles That Move the Leg. Filter By Category. View All Categories. Hip Joint The hip joint is created between the femur thigh bone and the acetabulum of the pelvis socket of the hipbone. One of the main ligaments in the foot is the plantar fascia , which forms the arch on the sole of the foot.

As it stretches and contracts, the plantar fascia provides balance and strength to the foot. The supraspinatus muscle is a rotator cuff muscle located in the shoulder, specifically in the supraspinatus fossa, a concave depression in the rear….

The quadratus plantae is a muscle in the foot that extends from the anterior front of the calcaneus heel bone to the tendons of the digitorum…. The depressor labii inferioris muscle is a four-sided facial muscle located in the jaw area that draws the lower lip down and to the side. The muscles of the face give it general form and contour, help you outwardly express your feelings, and enable you to chew your food.

The quadriceps femoris is a group of muscles located in the front of the thigh. The Latin translation of 'quadriceps' is 'four headed,' as the group…. The palmaris brevis muscle lies just underneath the skin.