popliteus muscle

Information about popliteus muscle

Popliteus muscle
Muscles of the back of the leg. Deep layer. (Popliteus visible at center top.)
Latinmusculus popliteus
subject #129 484
Origin:middle facet of the lateral surface of the lateral femoral condyle
Insertion:posterior tibia under the tibial condyles
Artery:popliteal artery
Nerve:tibial nerve
Action:Medial rotation and flexion of knee
Dorlands/Elsevier m_22/12550232
The popliteus muscle in the leg is used to unlock the knee by laterally rotating the femur on the tibia during a closed chain movement (such as one with the foot in contact with the ground).

Origin and insertion

It originates from the middle facet of the lateral surface of the lateral femoral condyle and inserts onto the posterior tibia under the tibial condyles, with its tendon running into the knee capsule to the posterior lateral meniscus.

Innervation

Nerve supply is via the tibial nerve from spinal roots L5 and S1.

Action

The Popliteus assists in flexing the leg upon the thigh; when the leg is flexed, it will rotate the tibia inward.

It is especially called into action at the beginning of the act of bending the knee, inasmuch as it produces the slight inward rotation of the tibia which is essential in the early stage of this movement.

Variations

Additional head from the sesamoid bone in the outer head of the Gastrocnemius.

Popliteus minor, rare, origin from femur on the inner side of the Plantaris, insertion into the posterior ligament of the knee-joint.

Peroneotibialis, 14 per cent., origin inner side of the head of the fibula, insertion into the upper end of the oblique line of the tibia, it lies beneath the Popliteus.

Additional images


Right femur. Posterior surface.

Bones of the right leg. Posterior surface.

Capsule of right knee-joint (distended). Posterior aspect.

The popliteal, posterior tibial, and peroneal arteries.


External links

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated. Please edit the article if this is the case, and feel free to remove this notice when it is no longer relevant.

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Muscles of lower limbs
ILIAC REGION/ILIOPSOASpsoas major - psoas minor - iliacus
BUTTOCKSgluteals: (maximus, medius, minimus) - tensor fasciae latae
lateral rotator group: piriformis - obturator externus - obturator internus - inferior gemellus - superior gemellus - quadratus femoris
THIGHanterior compartment: sartorius - quadriceps (rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius, vastus medialis) - articularis genu
medial compartment/adductor: gracilis - pectineus - adductor brevis - adductor longus - adductor magnus
posterior compartment/hamstring: biceps femoris - semitendinosus, semimembranosus
LEGanterior compartment: tibialis anterior - extensor hallucis longus - extensor digitorum longus - fibularis tertius
posterior compartment: superficial - calf/triceps surae (gastrocnemius, soleus) - plantaris deep - popliteus - tarsal tunnel (flexor hallucis longus - flexor digitorum longus - tibialis posterior)
lateral compartment: fibularis muscles (longus - brevis)
FOOTdorsal - extensor digitorum brevis - extensor hallucis brevis
plantar first layer - abductor hallucis - flexor digitorum brevis - abductor digiti minimi
plantar second layer - quadratus plantae - lumbrical muscle
plantar third layer - flexor hallucis brevis - adductor hallucis - flexor digiti minimi brevis
plantar fourth layer - dorsal interossei - plantar interossei
Latin}}} 
Official status
Official language of: Vatican City
Used for official purposes, but not spoken in everyday speech
Regulated by: Opus Fundatum Latinitas
Roman Catholic Church
Language codes
ISO 639-1: la
ISO 639-2: lat
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bold refer to the diagram at right.)

In the skull (8):
  • 1-9. cranium
  • 7. mandible
''In the middle ears (6):
  • malleus
  • incus
  • stapes
In the throat (1):
  • hyoid
In the shoulder girdle (4):
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The lateral condyle is one of the two projections on the lower extremity of femur. It is the more prominent and is the broader both in its antero-posterior and transverse diameters.
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bold refer to the diagram at right.)

In the skull (8):
  • 1-9. cranium
  • 7. mandible
''In the middle ears (6):
  • malleus
  • incus
  • stapes
In the throat (1):
  • hyoid
In the shoulder girdle (4):
..... Click the link for more information.
tibia is the larger of the two bones in the leg below the knee in vertebrates.

In humans

The tibia or shin bone, in human anatomy, is found medial (towards the middle) and anterior (towards the front) to the other such bone, the fibula.
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Tibial condyle can refer to:
  • Medial condyle of tibia
  • Lateral condyle of tibia

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Arteries are muscular blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart.[1] All arteries, with the exception of the pulmonary and umbilical arteries, carry oxygenated blood.

The circulatory system is extremely important for sustaining life.
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In human anatomy, the popliteal artery is defined as the extension of the femoral artery after passing through the adductor canal and adductor hiatus above the knee. The termination of the popliteal artery is its bifurcation into the anterior tibial artery and posterior tibial
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  • Accessory nerve
  • Accessory obturator nerve
  • Alderman's nerve
  • Anococcygeal nerve
  • Ansa cervicalis
  • Anterior interosseous nerve
  • Anterior superior alveolar nerve
  • Aortic plexus
  • Auerbach's plexus
  • Auriculotemporal nerve
  • Axillary nerve

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The tibial nerve is a branch of the sciatic nerve. The tibial nerve passes through the popliteal fossa to pass below the arch of soleus.

In the popliteal fossa the nerve gives off branches to gastrocnemius, popliteus, soleus and plantaris, and the sural nerve.
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Kinesiology is the scientific study of the anatomy, physiology, and mechanics of body movement, especially in humans. [1] The word kinesiology is derived the Greek "kinesis" (motion) + the suffix -ology or -logy from the greek "logos" or "logia"(meaning a field of study).
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In anatomy, internal rotation (also known as medial rotation) is rotation towards the center of the body.

The muscles of internal rotation include:
  • of arm/humerus at shoulder[1]

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flexion is a position that is made possible by the joint angle decreasing. The skeletal (bones, cartilage, and ligaments) and muscular (muscles and tendons) systems work together to move the joint into a "flexed" position.
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Elsevier, the world's largest publisher of medical and scientific literature, forms part of the Reed Elsevier group. Based in Amsterdam, the company has substantial operations in the UK, USA and elsewhere.
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A leg is the part of an animal's body that supports the rest of the animal above the ground between the ankle and the hip and is used for locomotion. The end of the leg furthest from the animal's body is often either modified or attached to another structure that is
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In human anatomy, the knee is the lower extremity joint connecting the femur and the tibia. Since in humans the knee supports nearly the entire weight of the body, it is the joint most vulnerable both to acute injury and to the development of osteoarthritis.
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External rotation (or lateral rotation) is rotation away from the center of the body.

The muscles of external rotation include:
  • of arm/humerus at shoulder[1]

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The femur or thigh bone is the longest, most voluminous, and strongest bone of mammalian bodies. It forms part of the hip and part of the knee.

The word femur is Latin for thigh.
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tibia is the larger of the two bones in the leg below the knee in vertebrates.

In humans

The tibia or shin bone, in human anatomy, is found medial (towards the middle) and anterior (towards the front) to the other such bone, the fibula.
..... Click the link for more information.
The femur or thigh bone is the longest, most voluminous, and strongest bone of mammalian bodies. It forms part of the hip and part of the knee.

The word femur is Latin for thigh.
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tibia is the larger of the two bones in the leg below the knee in vertebrates.

In humans

The tibia or shin bone, in human anatomy, is found medial (towards the middle) and anterior (towards the front) to the other such bone, the fibula.
..... Click the link for more information.
Condyle L. fr. G. kondylos, knuckle, the knuckle of any joint, a round projection, rounded articular area (ex. condyles of the femur) one of the markings/features of bones, can refer to:
  • Lateral condyle
  • Medial condyle

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A tendon (or sinew) is a tough band of fibrous connective tissue that connects muscle to bone and is built to withstand tension. Tendons are similar to ligaments except that ligaments join one bone to another.
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The word capsule, or encapsulation, may refer to:
  • Capsule (anatomy), a cover or envelope partly or wholly surrounding a structure.
  • Capsule (fruit), a type of dry fruit like the poppy, iris or foxglove.

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The lateral meniscus (external semilunar fibrocartilage) is nearly circular and covers a larger portion of the articular surface than the medial meniscus.

It is grooved laterally for the tendon of the Popliteus, which separates it from the fibular collateral ligament.
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The tibial nerve is a branch of the sciatic nerve. The tibial nerve passes through the popliteal fossa to pass below the arch of soleus.

In the popliteal fossa the nerve gives off branches to gastrocnemius, popliteus, soleus and plantaris, and the sural nerve.
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In humans the thigh is the area between the pelvis and buttocks and the knee. Anatomically, it is part of the lower limb.

The single bone in the thigh is called the femur.
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In anatomy, internal rotation (also known as medial rotation) is rotation towards the center of the body.

The muscles of internal rotation include:
  • of arm/humerus at shoulder[1]

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In anatomy, a sesamoid bone is a bone embedded within a tendon.

Sesamoid bones are typically found in locations where a tendon passes over a joint, such as the hand, knee, and foot. Functionally, they act to protect the tendon and to increase its mechanical effect.
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muscle is a powerful superficial muscle that is in the back part of the lower leg (the calf). It runs from its 2 heads just above the knee to the heel, and is involved in standing and walking. Along with the soleus muscle it forms the calf muscle.
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