The FAB glossary
quadriceps
The quadriceps (= 4 heads) is the muscle of the front of the thigh.
It consists of:
- three muscles which arise from the shaft of the femur - vastus medialis, intermedius and lateralis.
- one muscle - the rectus femoris - which arises from the anterior inferior iliac spine and the adjacent area of the hip bone just above the acetabulum.
These four heads unite in a common tendon which inserts onto the tibial tuberosity. This tendon contains the patella (knee-cap) which is an example of a sesamoid bone - one which keeps a tendon clear of an articulating area.
The quadriceps is supplied by the femoral nerve.
Related Tutorial.- The knee joint
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