The anterior compartment of the thigh is comprised of the quadriceps femoris muscle and sartorius muscle.

Quadriceps femoris

The quadriceps femoris muscle is large muscle group placed in the anterior and partly in the lateral region of thigh. It consists of four muscles:

Rectus femoris muscle
Vastus medialis muscle
Vastus lateralis muscle
Vastus intermedius muscle (see the next slide!)

Each one of these muscles arises from a different origin, but they share an insertion site. The four muscles form a common tendon of the quadriceps femoris muscle near the patella, that fastens to the tibial tuberosity.

Rectus femoris

The rectus femoris muscle is one of the muscles forming the quadriceps femoris located in the anterior region of the thigh between the vastus lateralis muscle and vastus medialis muscle.

Origin: anterior inferior iliac spine, acetabular ridge.

Insertion: tibial tuberosity of the diaphysis of the tibia via the patellar ligament, base of the patella.

Action: flexion of the thigh and extension of the leg (at the knee joint).

Innervation: femoral nerve (L2 - L4).

Blood supply: lateral circumflex femoral artery, femoral artery.

Vastus medialis

The vastus medialis muscle is one of the quadriceps femoris muscles, which is located medially in the anterior compartment of the thigh.

Origin: lower part of the intertrochanteric line, spiral line, medial (inner) lip of the linea aspera, superior aspect of the medial supracondylar ridge (femur).

Insertion: tibial tuberosity via the patellar ligament, medial aspect of the patella.

Action: participates in extension of the leg (at the knee joint).

Innervation: femoral nerve (L2 - L4).

Blood supply: femoral artery, deep femoral artery and superior medial genicular artery.

Vastus lateralis

The vastus lateralis muscle is the largest of the quadriceps femoris muscles, located in the lateral part of the anterior compartment of the thigh.

Origin: upper part of the intertrochanteric line, greater trochanter, superior aspect of the lateral lip of the linea aspera, gluteal tuberosity (femur).

Insertion: the muscle passes over the knee and inserts along with the other quadriceps femoris muscles onto the tibial tuberosity via the patellar ligament, and also into the lateral aspect of the patella.

Action: extension of the leg.

Innervation: femoral nerve (L2 - L4).

Blood supply: lateral circumflex femoral artery and deep femoral artery.

Sartorius

The sartorius muscle is the longest muscle of the thigh. It is a superficial and thin muscle located in the anterior region of the thigh.

Origin: anterior superior iliac spine.

Insertion: the sartorius passes inferomedially across the anterior part of the thigh. Tendon of the sartorius muscle, tendon of the gracilis muscle and tendon of the semitendinosus muscle form a common plate - pes anserinus - that inserts into the proximal end of the tibia below the medial condyle.

Action: flexion, abduction and external rotation of the thigh, flexion and internal rotation of the leg.

Innervation: femoral nerve (L2 - L4).

Blood supply: branches of femoral artery, deep femoral artery, lateral circumflex femoral artery, superficial femoral artery, superficial circumflex iliac artery and descending genicular artery.

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Anterior compartment of thigh muscles (part 1)