The Visible Human: Transverse Section Through the Thigh

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This transverse section illustrates the muscle of the upper thigh. Different groups of muscles carry out opposing actions with regards to moving the hip and knee joints. Some muscles flex the hip (bringing the legs into the chest), extend the hip (kicking the leg behind the body), flex the knee (bending the knee) , extend the knee (straightening the knee), and adduct the hip (pressing the inside of the legs together). Abduction of the hip (kicking the leg out to the side) is carried out by the gluteal muscles which do not appear in this section.

Key points in this image
adductor magnus | gracilis | sartorius | rectus femoris | hamstring | vastus lateralis | vastus medialis | vastus intermedius |
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Information
Module Name: a_vm2035
Module Title: The Visible Human: Transverse Section Through the Thigh
Image Info: Transverse section through the leg (#2035), Visible Human Project
Created by: Lynn Bry
Contact Email:bryl@medicine.wustl.edu
Last modified: January 16th, 1997
Created with Annotation 1.0