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Related Concept Videos

Muscles that Move the Leg01:23

Muscles that Move the Leg

The movement of the legs is facilitated by numerous muscles located within the anterior, medial, and posterior compartments of the thigh.
Anterior Compartment
The quadriceps femoris, the most visible muscle of the anterior compartment, is integral for leg extension and thigh flexion. It is formed by merging four distinct muscles — the vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, vastus intermedius, and rectus femoris. The quadriceps tendon, a shared tendon of the four quadriceps muscles, is affixed to...
Bones of the Lower Limb: Femur and Patella01:16

Bones of the Lower Limb: Femur and Patella

The femur is the body's longest and strongest bone spanning the thigh region. Its head articulates with the acetabulum of the hip bone to form the hip joint. A minor indentation on the medial side of the femoral head, called the fovea capitis, serves as the site of attachment for the ligament of the head of the femur. This weak ligament spans the femur and acetabulum and supports the hip joint. The narrowed region below the head is the neck of the femur. The inclination angle between the neck...
Quadratic Models01:23

Quadratic Models

Quadratic models are mathematical representations used to describe relationships in which the rate of change changes at a constant rate. These models appear in a wide variety of natural and engineered systems, especially those involving motion, forces, and optimization. One common application is analyzing the vertical motion of objects influenced by gravity, such as a ball thrown into the air.In such scenarios, the object's height changes over time in a curved pattern, rising to a maximum point...
Muscles that Move the Thigh01:20

Muscles that Move the Thigh

The thigh's motion is primarily governed by muscles originating in the pelvic girdle and inserted into the femur. One crucial muscle, the iliopsoas, is a combination of the psoas major and the iliacus muscles, sharing a common insertion point on the lesser trochanter of the femur.
Three other significant muscles are the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. The gluteus maximus originates from the posterior surface of the ilium, sacrum, and coccyx, and the thoracolumbar fascia...
Muscles of the Leg that Move the Foot and Toes01:28

Muscles of the Leg that Move the Foot and Toes

The human leg comprises an intricate system of muscles that facilitate the movement of feet and toes. Within this system, the muscles are categorized into the anterior, lateral, and posterior compartments, each with a unique set of muscles carrying out specific functions.
Anterior Compartment
The anterior compartment includes muscles that contribute to the dorsiflexion of the foot. This compartment houses the tibialis anterior, extensor hallucis longus, and extensor digitorum longus muscles.
Excitation-Contraction Coupling in Skeletal Muscles01:20

Excitation-Contraction Coupling in Skeletal Muscles

Excitation-contraction coupling is a series of events that occur between generating an action potential and initiating a muscle contraction. It occurs at the triad, a structure found in skeletal muscle fibers that comprise a T-tubule and terminal cisternae of the sarcoplasmic reticulum on each side. These triads are visible in longitudinally sectioned muscle fibers. They are typically located at the A-I junction — the junction between the A and I bands of the sarcomere.
When an action potential...

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Related Experiment Video

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Muscle Imbalances: Testing and Training Functional Eccentric Hamstring Strength in Athletic Populations
07:30

Muscle Imbalances: Testing and Training Functional Eccentric Hamstring Strength in Athletic Populations

Published on: May 1, 2018

A dynamic model of quadriceps and hamstrings function.

C Frigo1, E E Pavan, R Brunner

  • 1Movement Biomechanics and Motor Control, TBM Lab, Department of Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Via Golgi 39, 20133 Milano, Italy. carlo.frigo@biomed.polimi.it

Gait & Posture
|October 20, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Hamstring and quadriceps muscle contractions significantly influence hip and knee movement. Co-contraction of these muscles may enhance hip extension, a key hamstring function.

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Area of Science:

  • Biomechanics
  • Musculoskeletal modeling
  • Human movement analysis

Background:

  • Understanding muscle function is crucial for biomechanics and injury prevention.
  • Previous models have simplified muscle interactions and joint mechanics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the mechanical effects of hamstring and quadriceps contractions on hip and knee joint motion.
  • To analyze muscle contributions to joint movement using a dynamic musculoskeletal model.

Main Methods:

  • A 13-segment dynamic musculoskeletal model was developed using MRI data.
  • Muscles were simulated as spring actuators, and the knee joint incorporated cruciate ligament mechanics.
  • Simulations tested various combinations of hamstring (semimembranosus) and quadriceps (vastus, rectus femoris) contractions.

Main Results:

  • Semimembranosus contraction alone caused hip extension and knee flexion.
  • Quadriceps co-contraction with hamstrings reduced knee flexion and enhanced hip extension.
  • Combined hamstring and quadriceps activation generally led to knee extension and increased hip extension.

Conclusions:

  • Hamstring and quadriceps co-contraction may be a strategy to augment hamstring's hip extension capabilities.
  • The findings provide insights into muscle coordination for specific joint movements.
  • This study contributes to a better understanding of lower limb biomechanics.