Muscle Anatomy

[treilin]

Group 1A (Anterior upper leg group) (I ran out of time but this muscle has a lot of info)

Sartorius

Sartorius

Origin = It arises by tendinous fibers from the anterior superior iliac spine and the upper half of the notch below it.
It passes obliquely across the upper and anterior part of the thigh, from the lateral to the medial side of the limb.

Insertion = Anterior Medial Condyle in front of the Gracilis and Semitendinous.

Action = This muscle’s action is very minimal compared to most in the body, but is a very important muscle in hurdling. It assists in crossing the legs at the knee, by flexion of the knee, abduction, and flexion and lateral rotation of the hip. Acts to flex and stabilize the hip joint.

Name Derivative = Latin for Sartorial which means to do with tailoring. This is considered the tailor’s muscle the one that assists you to cross your legs Indian style. It is the position a tailor used to sit in. Side history: Many people who had Tailor as their name, used the name Sartorius because it sounded more admirable.

Nerve Supply = Femoral Nerve

Strengthening/Stretching = Try standing up using the cable machine and putting the straps around your ankles and do hip abduction. The Sartorius muscle is in a more active state standing then in the abductor machines. When you use the machines your hip flexors are overly contracted, this is why so many people with desk jobs complain about lower back pain, because their hip flexors are always tight from sitting all day. If your hip flexors are overly contracted to begin with then the machines are not going to be all that useful (like they would be if you were standing). Standing you are placing a stretch back into the muscle so you will assist it in not only going back to normal tonus, but also you will be working it into a stretch and may alleviate some low back pain.

Note = There are many variations in the muscle to include some people don’t even have one!! It is also the longest muscle in the body.

 

[treilin]

AUGUST 9th 2006
Group 1A Continued

Tensor Fascia Lata (TFL)

The tensor fasciae lata (TFL) is a muscle of the thigh in that space on the side of your hip between your pelvis and your thighbone. This is the muscle system that is put into action when lifting the foot and driving it forward. If you put your hand on the muscle in front of the hip joint, you can feel it come into action when you lift your foot.

Origin = Outer surface of anterior iliac crest between tubercle of the iliac crest and ASIS, part of the outer border of the notch below it, between the gluteus medius and sartorius; and from the deep surface of the fascia lata.

Insertion = Iliotibial tract (ant surface of lat condyle of tibia) between the two layers of the iliotibial band of the fascia lata about the junction of the middle and upper thirds of the thigh.

Action = Maintains knee extended (assists gluteus maximus), and plays a role in thigh flexion and medial rotation. It redirects the rotational forces of the gluteus maximus.

Nerve Supply = Superior gluteal Nerve (L4, 5, S1)

Trigger Points = Refer pain into the hip down the outside of the thigh.

Translation = Tensor fasciae latae means "tightener of the wide bandage." Wide bandage pretty much means the Illiotibial tract or Illiotibial Band (ITB). So this muscle obviously tightens the ITB...

Stretch = Lying Iliotibial Band Stretch:- Start Position

1. Lie on your back with your left leg tucked under your right knee.
2. For support, you put your left arm out to the side, and rest your head on your right hand. Your right leg (the upermost leg) should take some of your weight.
3. Chin gently tucked, scapulars anchored, pelvic neutral.

Strengthen = This is not an easy exercise, but it will strengthen the TFL. While in the sitting position, with the legs flat on the ground or floor, lift one foot about six inches, keeping the knee as nearly in the locked position as possible. Then angle the foot so that the toes/foot are pointed toward the inside (right foot, point to the left). Next, move the foot in the direction that the toes are pointed to a position where the knee is directly above the other knee, keeping the toes/foot angled. Then return to the original position with the toes in a pointed up position without allowing the foot to come to rest on the floor. Repeat.

Related disorders =
Trochanteric Bursitis: A bursae is a fluid filled sac that is in position in an area of great friction. For example, between a bone and a tendon muscle. A Trochanteric bursitis is the inflammation of the bursae that lies between the femur (the large bone of the upper leg) and the large tendon of the TFL (tensor fascia late) muscle.

Anterior rotation: May be caused directly by a number of muscular spasms. Anterior muscles attaching to or near the ASIS, including the sartorius, the tensor fascia late (TFL) and the rectus femoris, will pull the ASIS interiorly, creating the anterior rotation

Iliotibial Band Syndrome: The Iliotibial band gets into problems because the TFL (the dominant tensor of the iliotibial band (ITB); should actually share this function with the Gluteus maximus. Postural defects usually cause iliotibial band syndrome.

Notes:
People who sit all day will have a tight TFL, and over stretched glutes.

 

[nelmsjer]

Nice work here, Treilin!

 

[treilin]

AUGUST 10 2006
Group 1B (Adductors of the thigh)

Gracilis

One of the Adductor muscles in the leg.

Origin = Outer surface body of ischiopubic ramus

Insertion = Upper medial shaft of proximal tibia below Sartorius, Inferior to Tibial Condyle

Action = Adducts hip, Flexes knee, and med rotates flexed knee (tibia). The adductors help to control the swing leg as it accelerates forward through space, stabilizing its motion and preventing it from flying around too aggressively.

Nerve Supply = Anterior division of Obturator Nerve (L2, 3)

Referral Pain = Trigger points refer pain mostly over the anterior and medial aspects of the thigh.

Stretch =
- Sit with your lower back straight.
- Soles of your feet touching
- Use your elbows to push your knees to the ground.
- You can lean forward to make it more difficult

Strengthen = thigh-adduction machine, or attach flexible cords (cable) to one's legs and then pull the lower appendages through adduction against the resistance of the cord.

Translation = Means "the slender muscle"

Issues relating to this muscle =
Pes anserine bursitis = Possible cause of Knee pain. The tendon insertion of the sartorius, “gracilis”, and semitendinosus muscles at the anterior medial aspect of the proximal tibia form the pes anserine bursa. The bursa can become inflamed due to overuse or direct contact. Pain is in the medial aspect of the knee and is felt with repetitive extension and flexion.

Groin Injuries

Notes = Gracilis is the only adductor that also crosses the knee joint. Groin injuries compromise 2 to 5 % of all sports injuries. The most common cause of groin pain in athletes is probably adductor strain, especially soccer players.

This muscle can be taken out and used to :
A sphincter repair is where they take the gracilis muscle out of your leg and wrap it around your sphincter which will restore muscle tone.

In fascial nerve disorders this muscle can be taken and transplanted to the face. It will assist a person who could not smile before to smile by lifting the corners of the mouth.

It is also can be taken out and used to restore upper extremity function.

*With the loss of this muscle I have not read a source stating that it would affect a person's gait.

 

[treilin]

AUGUST 11 2006
GROUP 1B continued
Adductor Magnus

Adductor Magnus = Large triangular muscle, situated on the medial side of the thigh. Also called Great Adductor Muscle.

Origin = (Anterior Fibers) Inferior pubic ramus, ischial ramus, and (Posterior Fibers) inferior lateral area of ischial tuberosity

Insertion = Gluteal tuberosity of femur, medial lip of linea aspera, medial supracondylar ridge, and adductor tubercle

Action = Anterior part is the powerful thigh adductor at hip; fibers arising from ischium and ramus of ischium primarily insert distally and aid in hip extension; fibers arising from ramus of pubis insert proximally and aid in hip flexion; assistance in lateral rotation, medial rotation is controversial.

Stretch = Hip Adductor Stretch (Groin): Seated = Assume a seated position with the soles of feet placed together. Contract outside of hip, spreading thighs as far as possible. Return to adducted position and repeat. As you become more flexible move heels closer to the buttocks. Use hands to gently assist stretch at end of movement.

Strengthen = Medicine-Ball Squats = Stand with a medicine ball between your thighs, just above your knees. Squat down so your thighs are parallel to the ground. Hold that position for a second and slowly return to the starting position. Do three sets of 12 repetitions.

Synergists= adductor brevis, adductor longus, pectineus, gracilis

Nerve Supply = Posterior division of obturator nerve innervates most of the adductor magnus; vertical or hamstring portion innervated by tibial nerve

Translation = The name "adductor" means "toward-puller." "Magnus" means "big

Notes =
• Increased risk of lower back injury during hip extension activities when knees are bent. After complete flexion of the hip, the lumbar spine will flex if movement is continued. The risk of injury is increased if the lumbar spine is not accustom to this movement or workload. Examples of affected exercises: Leg Press , Squat , Single Leg Squat . Example preventative / corrective exercise: Glute Stretch , Adductor Magnus Stretch
• Lies Deep to gluteus maximus, Biceps Femoris, Semitendinosis, Semimembranosus. Superior border lies parallel to quadratus femoris, medial border next to gracillis and sartorius.
• Overuse of the adductor magnus may potentially lead to hypertonicity and trigger point developing.
• Back pain, exacerbated by heavy squatting, deadlifting, and lumbar flexion. Pain can limit lumbar spine flexion, reduced hip flexion, range of motion, a hypomobile or 'blocked' sacroiliac joint, possible rotated ilium, and increased muscle tone in TFL/psoas and gluteals.
• Any avid weight-trainer returning from a long lay-off will comment on the soreness they experience in the adductor magnus following deep squats.

 

[treilin]

AUGUST 14, 2006
Group 1B Continued

Adductor Longus

Adductor Longus = In the human body, the adductor longus is a skeletal muscle located in the thigh. One of the adductor muscles of the hip, its main function is to adduct the thigh and it is innervated by the obturator nerve. It forms the medial wall of the femoral triangle.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adductor_longus_muscle

Origin = Medial portion of the superior pubic ramus.

Insertion = Linea aspera of the femur.

Action = Adducts, flexes, and medially rotates the femur.

Stretch = Hip Adductor Stretch (Groin): Seated = Assume a seated position with the soles of feet placed together. Contract outside of hip, spreading thighs as far as possible. Return to adducted position and repeat. As you become more flexible move heels closer to the buttocks. Use hands to gently assist stretch at end of movement. (Images under Adductor Magnus)

Strengthen = Medicine-Ball Squats = Stand with a medicine ball between your thighs, just above your knees. Squat down so your thighs are parallel to the ground. Hold that position for a second and slowly return to the starting position. Do three sets of 12 repetitions. (Images under Adductor Magnus)

Synergists: Adductor brevis, adductor magnus, pectineus, gracilis.

Referral Pain = Trigger points in this muscle refers pain mostly over the anterior and medial aspects of the thigh.

Nerve Supply = Anterior division of the obturator nerve, division L2, L3, and L4

Translation = The name "adductor" means "toward-puller." "Longus” means Long.

Notes =
Sports injuries: Groin strain typically refers to overstretching of the adductor longus muscle on the inside of the thigh. Tearing often occurs either at the attachment between the tendon and the muscle or at the attachment between the tendon and the pelvic bone. The strain may be caused by a sudden start and stop, but more frequently related to rapid sudden changes of direction or side to side movements. Symptoms and pain may arrise on movement or stretching, swelling and tenderness, loss of strength. Some times athletes will have a crackling feeling or sound when fingertip pressure is applied. Warming up the muscles and regular stretching will help in preventing such strains.

High-speed training, because high-velocity effort places more force on the adductors when the foot is on the ground and also when the leg is swinging forward. High-volume training can induce "overuse" trauma in the adductors.

 

[treilin]

AUGUST 15, 2006
GROUP 1B Continued

ADDUCTOR BREVIS

Adductor Brevis = Considered a short adductor.

Origin = Anterior surface of inferior pubic ramus, inferior to origin of adductor longus and pectineus

Insertion = Pectineal line to linea aspera and proximal 1/4 of linea aspera

Action = The muscles on the inner thigh have the job of pulling your leg toward the center, or pulling your legs together.

Stretch = Hip Adductor Stretch (Groin): Seated = Assume a seated position with the soles of feet placed together. Contract outside of hip, spreading thighs as far as possible. Return to adducted position and repeat. As you become more flexible move heels closer to the buttocks. Use hands to gently assist stretch at end of movement. (Image on Adductor Magnus Post)

Strengthen = Medicine-Ball Squats = Stand with a medicine ball between your thighs, just above your knees. Squat down so your thighs are parallel to the ground. Hold that position for a second and slowly return to the starting position. Do three sets of 12 repetitions. (Image on Adductor Magnus Post)

Synergists: pectineus, gracilis.

Referral Pain = Trigger points in this muscle refers pain mostly over the anterior and medial aspects of the thigh.

Nerve Supply = Anterior or posterior division of the obturator nerve, division L2, L3, and L4

Translation = The name "adductor" means "toward-puller." "Brevis” means Short.

Notes =
Sports injuries: As of 2000 only the (hip) adductor longus was the only adductor shown to sustain a muscle strain. Adductor Brevis is known now to also sustain a muscle strain.

Symptoms of a muscle strain in the adductors:
Tightening of the groin muscles that may not be present until the day after competition. A sudden sharp pain in the groin area or adductor muscles. Bruising or swelling (this might not occur until a couple of days after the initial injury) Inability to contract the adductor muscles (squeezing the legs together or possibly lifting the leg out in front). A lump or gap in the adductor muscles.

Obturator neuropathy, has recently been added to the list of causes of exercise-related groin pain.
The obturator begins at nerve roots L2 to L4 and runs over the pelvic rim into the lesser pelvis. After passing through a fibroosseous tunnel, it divides into the anterior and posterior branches, which exit the pelvis through the obturator foramen. The anterior branch innervates the adductor longus, adductor brevis, and gracilis muscles, and its sensory branch innervates the skin over the medial distal thigh. The posterior branch innervates the obturator externus and portions of the adductor magnus and pectineus muscles. The mechanism of obturator nerve entrapment is unclear. However, the entrapment does not appear to occur within the fibroosseous obturator tunnel but rather at the level of the obturator foramen and proximal thigh where the fascia entraps the anterior branch of the nerve as it passes over the adductor brevis muscle. The causes of the fascial entrapment are not certain, but inflammatory processes may be involved. Given the clinical progression, which begins with pain of an inflammatory nature that evolves to consistent exercise-related pain, we postulate that chronic adductor tendinopathy develops and leads to fibrosis and fascial adhesions and eventual nerve entrapment.(1)
Source: http://www.physsportsmed.com/issues/1999/05_99/brukner.htm

 

[treilin]

August 16 2006
Group 1B Continued
Pectineus

Pectineus – one of the four primary muscles of the adductor group, it is the uppermost muscle of this group and the shortest. flat, quadrangular muscle, situated at the anterior part of the upper and medial aspect of the thigh.

Origin = Pectineal line on superior ramus of pubis

Insertion = Inferior to lesser trochanter along linea aspera

Action = Flexes femur at hip / assists in adduction at hip

Antagonists = Hip Abductors: Gluteus Medius, TFL

Synergists = Hip Adductors: A. Brevis, A. Longus, A. Magnus, Gracilis

Nerve Supply = Femoral Nerve: L2-L4 (Only adductor not innervated by the obturator nerve)

Associated TPs = Center of the belly of the muscle

Stretching = Adductor stretch (with medial rotation)

Strengthening = Bilateral Thigh Squeeze

Note: This will be the last muscle I will be doing until I get back from my trip in late September.

 

[Daisy_Girl]

How do I fix my Piriformis .... damn things are so freaking tight .... no matter what .... someone get me some new ones ....

 

[treilin]

SEPT 25 2006

Ilio-Psoas
Psoas Major and Minor and Iliacus

** The psoas and iliacus combine to form a muscle group called the iliopsoas.

Psoas:
Origin: Bodies of T12 –L4 vertebrae
Insertion: Lesser Trochanter of Femur
Action: Hip Flexion, External Rotation of Femur

Iliacus:
Origin: Inner surface of Ilium
Insertion: Lesser Trochanter of Femur
Action: Hip Flexion, External Rotation of Femur
-fan-shaped muscle lining the inside of the pelvic bowl

Trigger Points (TP’s) : Will cause referral pain in the upper back, and gluteal region, and upper part of medial thigh.

Antagonist = Glutes

Psoas Stretch:
Psoas Stretch:- Start Position
1. From the Relaxation Position, bring your left leg up and clasp it at the knee.
2. Pelvic neutral! Anchor the Scapulas!
Psoas Stretch:- Action
1. Breathe in, then zip and hollow.
2. While breathing out, slowly stretch your right leg out along the floor.
3. Breathe in, and maintain zip and hollow.
4. While breathing out, bring your right leg back to the start position.
5. Repeat twice each side.

* This muscle is primarily responsible for anterior rotation of the pelvis, which increases the lordosis of the lumbar spine. These muscles do two things: 1) if the leg is allowed to move, the hip is flexed and the leg is raised or swung forward. 2) or if the legs are stabilized, the body sits up from lying down or stays upright. These muscles are needed for both walking and sitting.


Notes:
-Critical for balance, alignment, joint rotation and range of motion, also influences the circulatory system, the functioning of organs and diaphragmatic breathing. The only muscle to link the lumbar spine to the legs.

-As part of the instinctive fear reflex the vitality of the psoas muscle reflects your personal sense of safety. When feeling threatened it is your psoas muscle that propels you into fleeing or fighting or curls you into a protective ball. Trauma or chronic abuse can eventually cause the contracted psoas to lose its motility.

-The sensation of being centred and grounded comes from a healthy psoas in combination with a balanced weight-bearing pelvis. The keystone of skeletal alignment, it is the balanced pelvis that provides a base of support for the spine, ribcage, neck and head. It is the aligned pelvis that transfers weight down through the hip sockets, legs, knees and feet. If the bones do not support and transfer weight properly, it is the psoas muscle that is called upon to provide structural support.

-Chronic muscular tension, overdeveloped external muscles, and muscular substitutions can be linked to a tense or overworked psoas. Birth anomalies, falls, surgery, overexuberant stretching or weightlifting may create pelvic instability or affect the functioning of the psoas muscle.

Problems that arise from a chronic contracted / shortened Psoas:
-- Limited pelvic volume, constricted organs, impinged nerves and impaired diaphragmatic breathing. Putting pressure on the uterus, a tense or short psoas can cause cramping. Pushing the oesophagus forwards, a tight upper psoas can cause digestive problems. A short psoas can interfere with the diaphragm fully descending through the abdominal core.

-- The intra-abdominal nature, particularly in the neurologically handicapped, can elicit an intestinal shutdown called "ileus". Ileus lasts from minutes to several days. It is impossible to predict. It requires feeding by intravenous route while the intestinal protective reflex subsides. The deep nature of the surgery, near the bladder and in the pelvic floor, requires post-op pain management and, in spastic individuals, antispasm medication. Early mobilization is attempted to avoid adhesions, prior to hospital discharge

Psoas Relaxation technique you can do yourself:
To try the constructive rest position, begin by resting on your back. Keep the knees bent and the feet placed parallel to each other, the width of the front of your hip sockets apart. Place your heels approximately 12-16 inches away from your buttocks. Keep the trunk and head parallel with the floor. If not parallel place a folded, flat towel under your head. DO NOT push your lower back to the floor or tuck your pelvis under in an attempt to flatten the spine. Rest in the position for 10-20 minutes. As you do, the psoas will begin to release, the pelvis will spontaneously extend and the spine will lengthen. Keep the arms below shoulder height, letting them rest over the ribcage, to the sides of your body or on your pelvis. In this simple position gravity releases the psoas.

Sources:
http://www.pediatric-orthopedics.com/Treatments/Hips/Psoas/psoas.html
http://www.deeptissue.com/learn/hip/psoas.htm
http://www.positivehealth.com/permit/Articles/Bodywork/koch65.htm