Quadratus femoris muscle

Not to be confused with quadriceps femoris.

The quadratus femoris is a flat, quadrilateral skeletal muscle. Located on the posterior side of the hip joint, it is a strong external rotator and adductor of the thigh, but also acts to stabilize the femoral head in the Acetabulum.

Course

It originates on the lateral border of the ischial tuberosity of the ischium of the pelvis. From there, it passes laterally to its insertion on the posterior side of the head of the femur: the quadrate tubercle on the intertrochanteric crest and along the quadrate line, the vertical line which runs downward to bisect the lesser trochanter on the medial side of the femur. Along its course, quadratus is aligned edge to edge with the inferior gemellus above and the adductor magnus below, so that its upper and lower borders run horizontal and parallel.

At its origin, the upper margin of the adductor magnus is separated from it by the terminal branches of the medial femoral circumflex vessels.

A bursa is often found between the front of this muscle and the lesser trochanter. Sometimes absent.

Quadratus femoris muscle

Additional images

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  Right femur. Posterior surface.

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  Structures surrounding right hip-joint.

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  Nerves of the right lower extremity Posterior view.

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  Quadratus femoris muscle

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  Muscles of Thigh. Anterior views.

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

• (ISBN for the Americas 1-58890-159-9.)

External links

• 147849294 at GPnotebook
• PTCentral
• Anatomy photo:13:st-0409 at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center