The anterior compartment of thigh contains muscles which extend the knee and flex the hip.

Structure

The anterior compartment is one of the

fascial compartment A fascial compartment is a section within the body that contains muscles and nerves and is surrounded by deep fascia. In the human body, the limbs can each be divided into two segments – the upper limb can be divided into the arm and the forea ...

s of the

thigh In human anatomy, the thigh is the area between the hip ( pelvis) and the knee. Anatomically, it is part of the lower limb. The single bone in the thigh is called the femur. This bone is very thick and strong (due to the high proportion of ...

that contains groups of muscles together with their nerves and blood supply. The anterior compartment contains the sartorius muscle (the longest muscle in the

body Body may refer to: In science * Physical body, an object in physics that represents a large amount, has mass or takes up space * Body (biology), the physical material of an organism * Body plan, the physical features shared by a group of anima ...

) and the

quadriceps femoris The quadriceps femoris muscle (, also called the quadriceps extensor, quadriceps or quads) is a large muscle group that includes the four prevailing muscles on the front of the thigh. It is the sole extensor muscle of the knee, forming a large ...

group, which consists of the

rectus femoris muscle The rectus femoris muscle is one of the four quadriceps muscles of the human body. The others are the vastus medialis, the vastus intermedius (deep to the rectus femoris), and the vastus lateralis. All four parts of the quadriceps muscle attach t ...

and the three vasti muscles – the

vastus lateralis The vastus lateralis (), also called the vastus externus, is the largest and most powerful part of the quadriceps femoris, a muscle in the thigh. Together with other muscles of the quadriceps group, it serves to extend the knee joint, moving the ...

vastus intermedius The vastus intermedius () (Cruraeus) arises from the front and lateral surfaces of the body of the femur in its upper two-thirds, sitting under the rectus femoris muscle and from the lower part of the lateral intermuscular septum. Its fibers en ...

, and the

vastus medialis The vastus medialis (vastus internus or teardrop muscle) is an extensor muscle located medially in the thigh that extends the knee. The vastus medialis is part of the quadriceps muscle group. Structure The vastus medialis is a muscle present ...

. The

iliopsoas The iliopsoas muscle (; from lat, ile, lit=groin and grc, ψόᾱ, psóā, muscles of the loins) refers to the joined psoas major and the iliacus muscles. The two muscles are separate in the abdomen, but usually merge in the thigh. They are usu ...

is sometimes considered a member of the anterior compartment muscles, as is the

articularis genus muscle The articularis genus (also known as the subcrureus muscle) is a small skeletal muscle located anteriorly on the thigh just above the knee. Structure It arises from the anterior surface of the lower part of the body of the femur, deep to the v ...

. The anterior compartment is separated from the posterior compartment by the lateral intermuscular septum and from the medial compartment by the medial intermuscular septum. Image:Gray430.png, Anterior aspect of right leg. Image:Illu lower extremity muscles.jpg, Muscles of leg

Nerve supply

The nerve of the anterior compartment of thigh is the

femoral nerve The femoral nerve is a nerve in the thigh that supplies skin on the upper thigh and inner leg, and the muscles that extend the knee. Structure The femoral nerve is the major nerve supplying the anterior compartment of the thigh. It is the largest ...

. Innervation for the quadriceps muscles come from the posterior division of the femoral nerve, while the anterior division (which contains cutaneous as well as muscular components) gives a lateral and a medial branch, the second being responsible for the innervation of the sartorius muscle. The

iliacus The iliacus is a flat, triangular muscle which fills the iliac fossa. It forms the lateral portion of iliopsoas, providing flexion of the thigh and lower limb at the acetabulofemoral joint. Structure The iliacus arises from the iliac fossa on ...

and the

psoas major The psoas major ( or ; from grc, ψόᾱ, psóā, muscles of the loins) is a long fusiform muscle located in the lateral lumbar region between the vertebral column and the brim of the lesser pelvis. It joins the iliacus muscle to form the iliop ...

and

psoas minor muscle The psoas minor muscle ( or ; from grc, ψόᾱ, psóā, muscles of the loins) is a long, slender skeletal muscle. When present, it is located anterior to the psoas major muscle.Tank (2005), p 93Gray (2008), p 1372 Structure The psoas minor mus ...

s, sometimes considered part of the anterior compartment, do not share the same innervation. Whereas the iliacus is innervated by the femoral nerve, the psoas is innervated by ventral rami of L1-L3.

Blood supply

When the

external iliac artery The external iliac arteries are two major arteries which bifurcate off the common iliac arteries anterior to the sacroiliac joint of the pelvis. Structure The external iliac artery arises from the bifurcation of the common iliac artery. Th ...

crosses the inguinal ligament, it becomes the

femoral artery The femoral artery is a large artery in the thigh and the main arterial supply to the thigh and leg. The femoral artery gives off the deep femoral artery or profunda femoris artery and descends along the anteromedial part of the thigh in the f ...

, which supplies blood to the anterior compartment and is the largest blood vessel of the inferior member.

Function

The anterior compartment of thigh contains muscles which are extensors of the knee and flexors of the hip joints.

Clinical significance

The anterior compartment may be affected as part of a

compartment syndrome Compartment syndrome is a condition in which increased pressure within one of the body's anatomical compartments results in insufficient blood supply to tissue within that space. There are two main types: acute and chronic. Compartments of the ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Anterior Compartment Of Thigh