Quadriceps femoris muscle

The quadriceps femoris (Latin for " four -headed thigh muscle " or " four -headed thigh extensors ") is a complex of four muscle heads skeletal muscle on the front of the thigh. The four heads are:

• Rectus femoris (Latin for straight muscle of the thigh )
• Vastus medialis (Latin: situated to the center of a broad muscle)
• Vastus intermedius (Latin: medium broad muscle) and
• Vastus lateralis muscle (lat.: outer wider muscle).

The Musculi vasti (Latin: broad muscles) originate on the femur, the rectus femoris at the ilium above the acetabular cup ( acetabulum ). The four muscles radiate into a common terminal tendon that pulls the tibial tuberosity. In that the kneecap ( patella) is stored. Below the kneecap tendon is also known as patellar ligament (Latin patellar ligament ).

The heads of the quadriceps femoris stretch the knee joint together. Imbalances of these muscles, such as paralysis, practice cross forces on the kneecap, which can lead to habitual dislocation of the patella.

The rectus femoris is involved in flexion of the hip joint.

In a paralysis of essential parts of the muscle, for example, by damage to the femoral nerve, the flexion of the knee can not be slowed down. Unit of the body 's center of gravity, so the patient faints.