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Quadriceps femoris

The quadriceps femoris (Latin: musculus quadriceps femoris) is a large muscle complex mainly placed in the anterior compartment of the thigh. It is one of the strongest muscles in the human body. The quadriceps femoris is composed of four individual muscles:

Quadriceps femoris, Vastus medialis, Vastus lateralis, Rectus femoris, Anterior and lateral view of quadriceps femoris, Thigh muscles, Anterior compartment of thigh, Anterior compartment muscles, Human thigh
Quadriceps femoris (lateral and anterior view) by Anatomy Next
Vastus medialis, Vastus lateralis, Vastus intermedius, Rectus femoris, Quadriceps femoris, Anterior view of quadriceps femoris, Thigh muscles, Anterior compartment of thigh, Anterior compartment muscles, Human thigh
Quadriceps femoris by Anatomy Next

These muscles have different origin sites, but they share a common insertion place. As all the quadriceps femoris muscles descend, they form a common tendon near the patella that inserts on the tibial tuberosity of the tibia.

Primary, the quadriceps femoris muscles act at the knee joint, and it is a leg extensor muscle. But besides that, the rectus femoris provides thigh flexion at the hip joint. The motor innervation to all quadriceps femoris muscles is provided by the femoral nerve (L2 - L4) that arises from the lumbar plexus, while the vascular supply depends on the muscle.

Vastus medialis, Vastus lateralis, Vastus intermedius, Rectus femoris, Quadriceps femoris, Lateral view of quadriceps femoris, Thigh muscles, Anterior compartment of thigh, Anterior compartment muscles, Human thigh
Lateral view of quadriceps femoris by Anatomy Next
Vastus medialis, Vastus lateralis, Vastus intermedius, Rectus femoris, Quadriceps femoris, Medial view of quadriceps femoris, Thigh muscles, Anterior compartment of thigh, Anterior compartment muscles, Human thigh
Medial view of quadriceps femoris by Anatomy Next