In common usage, a human leg is the lower limb of the body, extending from the hip to the ankle , and including the thigh , the knee , and the cnemis.[1] femur , is in the leg.
In human anatomical terms , the leg is the part of the lower limb[2] [3] [4]
The leg from the knee to the ankle is called the cnemis (nee'mis) or crus[5]
Legs are often used metaphorically in many cultures to indicate either strength or mobility. The supporting columns of an object may be referred to as legs as well, as in chair legs.
Additional recommended knowledge
Function and cultural aspects
Legs are often used for standing, walking, jumping , running , kicking, and similar activities, and are a significant portion of a person's mass.
Adolescent and adult females in many Western cultures often remove the hair from their legs. Toned, tanned, shaved legs are sometimes perceived as a sign of youthfulness and are often considered attractive in these cultures.
Anatomy
Long bones of the lower limb
Femur (thigh bone )
Patella (kneecap )
Tibia (shin bone )
Fibula (calf bone )
Muscles of the human lower limb
Muscles of the thigh
Anterior compartment of the thigh
Quadriceps femoris , which is composed of:
Vastus lateralis
Vastus medialis
Vastus intermedius
Rectus femoris
Sartorius
Tensor fascia lata
Medial compartment of the thigh
Posterior compartment of the thigh
Muscles of the cnemis
The anterior compartment
Tibialis anterior
Extensor digitorum longus
Extensor hallicus longus
Fibularis tertius
The posterior compartment
(all these muscles are at the distal end attached to the calcaneus by the Achilles' tendon )
The deep posterior compartment
The lateral compartment
Vasculature of the leg
The arteries
The veins
See also
References
^ leg ^ l_10/12493851 at Dorland's Medical Dictionary^ leg at eMedicine Dictionary^ l_06/12482031 at Dorland's Medical Dictionary^ c_64/12267973 at Dorland's Medical Dictionary
Bones of lower limbs Femur head of femur (fovea capitis femoris) · neck of femur · greater trochanter · trochanteric fossa · lesser trochanter · tubercle of the femur · intertrochanteric line · intertrochanteric crest · linea quadrata
body (linea aspera , third trochanter, pectineal line, adductor tubercle)
lower extremity (lateral condyle, medial condyle, lateral epicondyle, medial epicondyle, patellar surface) Tibia
upper extremity medial condyle · lateral condyle · intercondyloid eminence · tuberosity of the tibia · posterior intercondyloid fossa · anterior intercondyloid fossa
body soleal line
lower extremity
medial malleolus
Fibula head of fibula · body of fibula · lateral malleolus Tarsus calcaneus (sustentaculum tali, trochlear process) · talus · navicular · cuboid · cuneiform (medial , intermediate , lateral ) Metatarsus 1st metatarsal · 2nd · 3rd · 4th · 5th Other patella · phalanges of the foot
Joints and ligaments of lower limbs Coxal/hip iliofemoral - pubofemoral - ischiofemoral - head of femur - transverse acetabular Knee-joint patellar - popliteal (oblique, arcuate) - collateral (medial/tibial, lateral/fibular) - cruciate (anterior, posterior) - menisci (medial, lateral) Tibiofibular Superior tibiofibular: anterior of the head of the fibula - posterior of the head of the fibulaInferior tibiofibular: anterior of the lateral malleolus - posterior of the lateral malleolusTalocrural/ankle deltoid - external lateral of the ankle-joint (anterior talofibular, posterior talofibular, calcaneofibular) Foot - intertarsal Subtalar/talocalcaneal :Talocalcaneonavicular: dorsal talonavicularCalcaneocuboid: dorsal calcaneocuboid - bifurcated - long plantar - plantar calcaneocuboid
Transverse tarsal: plantar calcaneonavicular/springFoot - other Cuneonavicular, Cuboideonavicular, Intercuneiform and cuneocuboid, Tarsometatarsal/Lisfranc, Intermetatarsal, Metatarsophalangeal, Interphalangeal Arches of the foot (Longitudinal, Transverse)
List of muscles of lower limbs ILIAC REGION/ILIOPSOAS psoas major/psoas minor - iliacus BUTTOCKS gluteals :maximus , medius, minimus) - tensor fasciae lataelateral rotator group: piriformis - obturator externus/obturator internus - inferior gemellus/superior gemellus - quadratus femorisTHIGH anterior compartment: sartorius - quadriceps (rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius, vastus medialis) - articularis genu
posterior compartment/hamstring : biceps femoris - semitendinosus, semimembranosus
medial compartment: gracilis - pectineus - adductor (brevis, longus, magnus )LEG anterior compartment: tibialis anterior - extensor hallucis longus - extensor digitorum longus - fibularis tertius
posterior compartment: superficial - calf/triceps surae (gastrocnemius , soleus ) - plantaris - deep - popliteus - tarsal tunnel (flexor hallucis longus , flexor digitorum longus, tibialis posterior )
lateral compartment: fibularis muscles (longus , brevis)FOOT dorsal - extensor digitorum brevis - extensor hallucis brevisplantar - 1st layer (abductor hallucis, flexor digitorum brevis, abductor digiti minimi ) - 2nd layer (quadratus plantae, lumbrical muscle) - 3rd layer (flexor hallucis brevis, adductor hallucis - flexor digiti minimi brevis) - 4th layer (dorsal interossei, plantar interossei)
List of arteries of lower limbs EI : Femoral superficial epigastric - superficial iliac circumflex - external pudendal (superficial, deep/anterior scrotal arteries) - profunda femoris (lateral circumflex femoral, medial circumflex femoral, perforating) - descending genicular Popliteal anterior tibial - suralgenicular : superior genicular (medial, lateral) - middle genicular - inferior genicular (medial, lateral) Anterior tibial dorsalis pedis : tarsal (lateral - medial) - arcuate - dorsal metatarsal/first dorsal metatarsal - deep plantar
tibial recurrent (posterior, anterior)
anterior malleolar (medial, lateral)Posterior tibial circumflex fibular - fibular
Nerves of lower limbs and lower torso: the lumbosacral plexuslumbar plexus (L1-L4) iliohypogastric (lateral cutaneous branch, anterior cutaneous branch) - ilioinguinal (anterior scrotal ♂/labial ♀) - genitofemoral (femoral branch/lumboinguinal, genital branch ) - lateral cutaneous of thigh (patellar) - obturator (anterior, cutaneous, posterior, accessory) - femoral (anterior cutaneous branches, saphenous ) sacral plexus (L4-S4)muscular: superior gluteal/inferior gluteal - to quadratus femoris - to obturator internus - to the piriformis
sciatic :tibial (medial sural cutaneous, sural, medial calcaneal, medial plantar, lateral plantar )
sciatic :common fibular (lateral sural cutaneous, deep fibular , superficial fibular, medial dorsal cutaneous, intermediate dorsal cutaneous)
cutaneous: posterior cutaneous of thigh (inferior cluneal, perineal branches ) - perforating cutaneouscoccygeal plexus (S4-Co) pudendal : inferior anal - perineal (deep, posterior scrotal ♂/labial ♀ ) - dorsal of the penis ♂/clitoris ♀cutaneous innervation of the lower limbs
Lymphatics of lower limbs Inguinal Deep inguinal - Superficial inguinal Other Popliteal
General anatomy of lower limbs Buttocks Gluteal sulcus - Gluteal cleft Thigh Fascial compartments of thigh (Anterior, Medial, Posterior)
Inguinal ligament • Pectineal ligament • Lacunar ligament • Reflected inguinal ligament • Conjoint tendon • Interfoveolar ligament
Saphenous opening
Obturator membrane/Obturator canal
Femoral triangle • Femoral sheath (Femoral canal) • Femoral ring
Adductor canal • Adductor hiatus
fascia Fascia lata , Fascia cribrosa) Cnemis (anatomic leg)
Popliteal fossa •
Calf •
Shin •
Pes anserinus •
Fascial compartments of leg (Anterior, Lateral, Posterior)
Foot
