The arcuate popliteal ligament is an Y-shaped extracapsular
ligament of the
knee.
It is formed as a thickening of the posterior fibres of the joint capsule of the knee.
It has its origin at the posterior aspect of the
head of the fibula. It has two insertions: the medial limb arches superficially over the tendon of the
popliteus muscle
The popliteus muscle in the leg is used for unlocking the knees when walking, by laterally rotating the femur on the tibia during the closed chain portion of the gait cycle (one with the foot in contact with the ground). In open chain movements ...
to blend with the
oblique popliteal ligament
The oblique popliteal ligament (posterior ligament) is a broad, flat, fibrous band on the posterior knee representing an expansion of the tendon of the semimembranosus muscle. It attaches onto the intercondylar fossa and lateral condyle of the fe ...
; the lateral limb passes to the
lateral epicondyle of the
femur (accompanied by the popliteus muscle tendon
) to blend there with the lateral head of the
gastrocnemius muscle
The gastrocnemius muscle (plural ''gastrocnemii'') is a superficial two-headed muscle that is in the back part of the lower leg of humans. It runs from its two heads just above the knee to the heel, a three joint muscle (knee, ankle and subtalar ...
.
References
External links
* ()
* - "Major Joints of the Lower Extremity: Knee Joint"
Ligaments of the lower limb
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