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Related Concept Videos

Muscles that Move the Thigh01:20

Muscles that Move the Thigh

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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...
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Muscles that Move the Leg01:23

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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...
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Muscles of the Abdomen01:21

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The abdominal wall encircles the abdominal cavity, providing flexible protection and shielding the internal organs from harm. It is bordered at the top by the xiphoid process and costal margins, at the back by the vertebral column, and at the bottom by the pelvic bones and inguinal ligament. The abdominal wall is divided into two regions — the anterolateral and posterior regions.
Anterolateral Region
The anterolateral region comprises five paired muscles classified into the lateral and...
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Muscles of the Pelvic Floor and Perineum01:26

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The muscles of the pelvic floor and perineum are crucial for supporting the pelvic organs, controlling continence, and aiding in sexual function, childbirth, and core stability. They are typically divided into the superficial perineal layer and the deep pelvic floor layer.
Perineal Layer
The perineum is a diamond-shaped area below the pelvic diaphragm, divided into an anterior urogenital triangle that contains the external genitals and a posterior anal triangle housing the anus. The urogenital...
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Muscles of the Leg that Move the Foot and Toes01:28

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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....
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Muscles of the Vertebral Column01:27

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The back muscles that lie deep into the thoracolumbar fascia are called intrinsic or true back muscles. These muscles are divided into four layers: superficial, intermediate, deep, and deepest layers.
Superficial Layer:
The superficial layer consists primarily of the splenius muscles, which include the splenius capitis and splenius cervicis. These muscles are mainly responsible for the head and cervical spine movements, including extension, rotation, and lateral bending. The splenius capitis...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 29, 2025

Posterior Approach for Debridement of the Psoas Abscess
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A three-headed psoas major muscle: a case report.

Marta Pośnik1, Nicol Zielinska2, Łukasz Olewnik3

  • 1Department of Anatomical Dissection and Donation, Medical University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland.

Folia Morphologica
|April 3, 2024
PubMed
Summary

An extremely rare 3-headed psoas major muscle was discovered during a cadaver dissection. Awareness of such anatomical variations is crucial for understanding potential functional and clinical implications.

Keywords:
anatomical variationsiliopsoas muscle complexmuscle disproportionspsoas major muscle

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Area of Science:

  • Anatomy
  • Morphology
  • Human Anatomy

Background:

  • Anatomical variations in human muscles are frequently documented.
  • The psoas major muscle typically presents as a single structure.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report an extremely rare case of a 3-headed psoas major muscle.
  • To highlight the morphological variability of the psoas major muscle.

Main Methods:

  • Routine dissection of the posterior abdominal wall of an 82-year-old male cadaver.
  • Identification, photography, and measurement of an anomalous psoas major muscle.

Main Results:

  • A 3-headed psoas major muscle, comprising superficial, intermediate, and deep heads, was identified.
  • The surrounding posterior abdominal wall anatomy was otherwise typical.

Conclusions:

  • Morphological variations in muscles, even seemingly constant ones, require awareness.
  • Anomalous muscle structures can impact function and lead to clinical consequences.