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Lower Extremity Overview

M.Pizzimenti, Ph.D.

Reading: MA 314-360

Objectives:

• Identify the borders of the femoral triangle and canal. Outline the anatomical relationships of

the contents and pathways taken by the occupying structures.

• Describe the muscles of the anterior and medial compartments of the thigh.

• Generalize about anatomical issues related to the compartments of the lower extremity:

motor and sensory enervation, blood supply and venous drainage, muscle actions

• Construct a dermatome map of the lower extremity and identify cutaneous nerves that would

supply these regions.

Lower Extremity Compartments

Thigh

• Anterior Thigh

- Muscle group:

- Primary actions:

- Nerve supply:

• Medial Thigh

- Muscle group:

- Primary actions:

- Nerve supply:

• Posterior Thigh

- Muscle group:

- Primary actions

- Nerve supply

Leg

• Anterior Leg

- Muscle group:

- Primary actions:

- Nerve supply:

• Lateral Leb

- Muscle group:

- Primary actions:

- Nerve supply:

• Posterior Leg

- Muscle group:

- Primary actions

- Nerve supply

Gluteal

- Muscle group:

- Primary actions:

- Nerve supply:

MA325

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MA335BD

Blood Supply

Extensions of the common iliac a.

• Determine the similarities to what we have

seen in the upper extremity

Anterior Thigh

Nerve supply: Femoral n.

Thigh Muscles

Sartorius

- Actions

- Blood supply

Pectineus

- Actions

- Blood supply

• Quadriceps

Femoris

- Actions

- Blood supply

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Hip Muscles

Iliopsoas

- Actions

- Blood supply

Attachment Map

Use the map to help you understand muscle actions

Femoral Triangle

Borders

• Adductor Magus (medial compartment m.)

• Sartorius m.

• Inguinal Ligament

Contents (lateral to medial, NAVEL)

• Femoral n.,

• Femoral a.

• Femoral v.

• Empty space

• Lymphatics

Adductor Canal

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MA338

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Medial Thigh

Nerve supply:

Obturator n.

Medial Thigh Muscles

Adductor Longus

- Actions

- Blood

supply

Adductor brevis

- Actions

- Blood supply

Adductor magnus Obturator Externus

Actions Actions

Blood supply Blood supply

Gracilis

- Actions

- Blood supply

Adductor Hiatus

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Superficial Veins

Great saphenous

Small Saphenous

Cutaneous Nerves and

Dermatomes

Anterior Thigh

Medial Thigh

MA = Moore, KL and Agur, AMR. 2007. Essential Clinical Anatomy (3rd

Ed), Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

MD = Moore, KL and Dalley, A. 1999. Clinically Oriented Anatomy (4th

Ed), Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

GD = Tank, PW, 2005. Grant’s Dissector (13th Ed), Lippincott Williams

& Wilkins

GA = Agur AMR and Dalley, A 2005. Grant’s Atlas of Anatomy (11th

Ed), Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Unlabelled images © LifeArt

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MA331