Sartorius muscle

Changed by Tim Luijkx, 16 Oct 2015

Updates to Article Attributes

Body was changed:

The sartorius muscle is the long obliquely oriented muscle of the anterior upper leg.

Summary

  • origin:: anterior superior iliac spine
  • insertion: as part of the pes anserineanserinus tendon tendon, onto the medial superior tibia
  • action::
    • primary: flexes the hip and flexes the knee
    • secondary: weakly abducts and lateral rotates the thigh (like when sitting cross-legged)
  • innervation:: individual muscular branch from the femoral nerve

Gross anatomy

The sartorius muscle has long parallel fibers which run obliquely from lateral to medial down the thigh anterior to the quadriceps, in the same direction as the inguinal ligament and the fibers of the external oblique muscles. It forms the roof of the adductor canal in the lower medial thigh. It is pierced by two nerves:

  • intermediate cutaneous nerve of the thigh
  • infrapatellar branch of the saphanous nerve

History and etymology

Named after tailors (sartor is Latin for tailor), who would often sit cross-legged when working.

Fun fact

Sartorius is the longest muscle in the body.

  • -<p>The <strong>sartorius muscle</strong> is the long obliquely oriented muscle of the anterior leg.</p><h4>Summary</h4><ul>
  • +<p>The <strong>sartorius muscle</strong> is the long obliquely oriented muscle of the anterior upper leg.</p><h4>Summary</h4><ul>
  • -<strong>origin</strong>: anterior superior iliac spine</li>
  • +<strong>origin:</strong> anterior superior iliac spine</li>
  • -<strong>insertion:</strong> as part of the <a href="/articles/pes-anserinus">pes anserine</a> tendon, onto the medial superior tibia</li>
  • +<strong>insertion:</strong> as part of the <a href="/articles/pes-anserinus">pes anserinus</a> tendon, onto the medial superior tibia</li>
  • -<strong>action</strong>:<ul>
  • +<strong>action:</strong><ul>
  • -<strong>innervation</strong>: individual muscular branch from the <a href="/articles/femoral-nerve">femoral nerve</a>
  • +<strong>innervation:</strong> individual muscular branch from the <a href="/articles/femoral-nerve">femoral nerve</a>
  • -</ul><h4>Gross anatomy</h4><p>The sartorius muscle has long parallel fibers which run obliquely from lateral to medial down the thigh anterior to the <a href="/articles/quadriceps-muscles">quadriceps</a>, in the same direction as the <a href="/articles/inguinal-ligament">inguinal ligament</a> and the fibers of the <a href="/articles/external-oblique-muscles">external oblique muscles</a>. It forms the roof of the <a title="Adductor canal" href="/articles/adductor-canal">adductor canal</a> in the lower medial thigh. It is pierced by two nerves:</p><ul>
  • +</ul><h4>Gross anatomy</h4><p>The sartorius muscle has long parallel fibers which run obliquely from lateral to medial down the thigh anterior to the <a href="/articles/quadriceps-muscles">quadriceps</a>, in the same direction as the <a href="/articles/inguinal-ligament">inguinal ligament</a> and the fibers of the <a href="/articles/external-oblique-muscles">external oblique muscles</a>. It forms the roof of the <a href="/articles/adductor-canal">adductor canal</a> in the lower medial thigh. It is pierced by two nerves:</p><ul>
  • -<li>infrapatellar branch of the <a title="saphanous nerve" href="/articles/saphanous-nerve">saphanous nerve</a>
  • +<li>infrapatellar branch of the <a href="/articles/saphanous-nerve">saphanous nerve</a>
  • -</ul><h4>History and etymology</h4><p>Named after tailors, who would often sit cross-legged when working.</p><h4>Fun fact</h4><p>Sartorius is the longest muscle in the body.</p>
  • +</ul><h4>History and etymology</h4><p>Named after tailors (sartor is Latin for tailor), who would often sit cross-legged when working.</p><h4>Fun fact</h4><p>Sartorius is the longest muscle in the body.</p>

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