Rectus Femoris

Musculus rectus femoris

Lower Body Lower BodyQuadricepsHip FlexorsAnterior Compartment of the ThighAnterior ChainLegs

The rectus femoris is the only quadriceps head that crosses both the hip and knee, so it both extends the knee and flexes the hip. This biarticular nature makes it central to sprinting, kicking, and the leg-drive of squats, but it suffers active insufficiency as a hip flexor when the knee is extended. It is a frequent site of strains and the target of straight-leg knee-extension and hip-flexion training.

Actions

Knee extension, Hip flexion

Origin

Straight head from the anterior inferior iliac spine; reflected head from the groove above the rim of the acetabulum

Insertion

Base of the patella via the quadriceps tendon, continuing to the tibial tuberosity through the patellar ligament

Innervation

Femoral nerve (L2-L4)

Blood supply

Lateral circumflex femoral artery

Heads

Straight head (anterior), Reflected head (posterior)

Wikipedia ↗

quadricepship-flexorkneethighanterior-chainbiarticular