Biceps femoris muscle
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Jones J, Hacking C, Knipe H, et al. Biceps femoris muscle. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 16 Jan 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-6031
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rID:
6031
Article created:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Jeremy Jones had no recorded disclosures.
View Jeremy Jones's current disclosures
Last revised:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Craig Hacking had no recorded disclosures.
View Craig Hacking's current disclosures
Revisions:
14 times, by
8 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Sections:
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Synonyms:
- Biceps femoris muscles
- Biceps femoris
The biceps femoris is one of the large muscles in the posterior compartment of the thigh and a component of the hamstrings. It has a long and a short head, each with different functions and innervation.
Its medial border forms the superolateral border of the popliteal fossa.
Summary
-
origin
- long head: medial facet of the ischial tuberosity
- short head: lateral linea aspera and lateral supracondylar line of the femur and adjacent intermuscular septum
- insertion: fibular head, crural fascia and lateral tibial condyle
-
action
- flexes knee joint
- laterally rotates knee joint (when the knee is flexed)
- extends hip joint (long head only)
- external rotation of the thigh (long head only)
-
arterial supply
- inferior gluteal artery
- perforating arteries
- popliteal artery
-
innervation
- long head: tibial nerve
- short head: common peroneal nerve
- antagonist: quadriceps
Variant anatomy
- absence of the short head 2
- exclusive tibial insertion (rare) 3
Quiz questions
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References
- 1. Schuenke M, Schulte E. General Anatomy and Musculoskeletal System (THIEME Atlas of Anatomy). TPE. (2010) ISBN:1604062932. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 2. Koulouris G, Connell D. Hamstring muscle complex: an imaging review. (2005) Radiographics : a review publication of the Radiological Society of North America, Inc. 25 (3): 571-86. doi:10.1148/rg.253045711 - Pubmed
- 3. Solomon, L.B., Stevenson, A.W.. Tibial insertion of the biceps femoris tendon: Anatomical and radiological description of an anatomical variant. (2008) Clinical Anatomy. 21 (8): 802. doi:10.1002/ca.20722 - Pubmed
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- Tensor fasciae suralis muscle
- Muscles of the lower limb
- Hamstring muscles
- Posterior femoral cutaneous nerve
- Sacrotuberous ligament
- Proximal tibiofibular joint
Cases:
- Biceps femoris muscle long head (Gray's illustration)
- Intramuscular hemangioma - child
- Hamstring injury
- Lateral collateral ligament calcification - knee
- Peripheral nerve sheath tumour - sciatic nerve
- Sciatic nerve injury
- Popliteal fossa (diagram)
- Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and biceps femoris injury - BAC grade 2b
- Sciatic nerve injury
- Hamstring injury - BAC grade 1b
- MRI knee - axial (anatomy quiz)
- Biceps femoris muscle - Gray's anatomy illustration
- Complete distal biceps tendon rupture
- Biceps femoris strain injury
- Biceps femoris distal tendon avulsion
- Biceps femoris (partial tear)
Multiple choice questions:
Related articles: Anatomy: Lower limb
- skeleton of the lower limb
- joints of the lower limb
-
hip joint
- ligaments
- muscles
- additional structures
- hip joint capsule
- zona orbicularis
- iliotibial band
-
hip bursae
- anterior
- iliopsoas bursa (iliopectineal bursa)
- lateral
- subgluteal bursae
- greater trochanteric bursa (subgluteus maximus bursa)
- subgluteus medius bursa
- subgluteus minimus bursa
- gluteofemoral bursa
- subgluteal bursae
- postero-inferior
- anterior
- ossification centers
-
knee joint
- ligaments
- anterior cruciate ligament
- posterior cruciate ligament
- medial collateral ligament
- lateral collateral ligament
- meniscofemoral ligament (mnemonic)
-
posterolateral ligamentous complex
- arcuate ligament
- patellar tendon and quadriceps tendon
- anterolateral ligament
- posterior oblique ligament
- oblique popliteal ligament
- medial patellofemoral ligament
- additional structures
- extensor mechanism of the knee
- groove for the popliteus tendon
- knee bursae
- anterior bursae
- medial bursae
- lateral bursae
- posterior bursae
- knee capsule
- lateral patellar retinaculum
- medial patellar retinaculum
- menisci
- pes anserinus (mnemonic)
- ossification centers
- ligaments
- tibiofibular joints
-
ankle joint
- regional anatomy
- medial ankle
- lateral ankle
- anterior ankle
- ligaments
- medial collateral (deltoid) ligament
- lateral collateral ligament
- additional structures
- ankle bursae
- ossification centers of the ankle
- variants
- regional anatomy
- foot joints
- subtalar joint
- mid-tarsal (Chopart) joint
-
tarsometatarsal (Lisfranc) joint
- ligaments
- intermetatarsal joint
- metatarsophalangeal joint
- interphalangeal joint
- ossification centers
-
hip joint
- spaces of the lower limb
-
muscles of the lower limb
- muscles of the pelvic group
- muscles of the thigh
- muscles of the leg
- anterior compartment of the leg
- posterior compartments of the leg
- lateral compartment of the leg
- muscles of the foot
- dorsal muscles
- plantar muscles
- 1st layer
- 2nd layer
- 3rd layer
- 4th layer
- accessory muscles of the lower limb
- accessory gluteal muscles
-
accessory muscles of the ankle
- accessory peroneal muscles
- accessory flexor digitorum longus muscle
- accessory soleus muscle
- peroneocalcaneus internus muscle
- tibiocalcaneus internus muscle
- extensor hallucis capsularis tendon
- anterior fibulocalcaneus muscle
- accessory extensor digiti secundus muscle
- tibioastragalus anticus of Gruber muscle
- vascular supply of the lower limb
- arterial supply of the lower limb
- venous drainage of the lower limb
- innervation of the lower limb
- lymphatic system of the lower limb
- lymphatic pathways
- anteromedial group
- anterolateral group
- posteromedial group
- posterolateral group
- lower limb lymph nodes
- lymphatic pathways
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