Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Muscles of the Leg that Move the Foot and Toes

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....

Muscles that Move the Leg

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...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Correlation of Social Determinants of Health Disparities With Outcomes After Bankart Repair: A Large Database Study.

Orthopaedic journal of sports medicine·2026

Same author

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Correlates With Increased Postoperative Complications and Rates of Conversion to Total Hip Arthroplasty Following Hip Arthroscopy for Femoroacetabular Impingement Syndrome.

Arthroscopy : the journal of arthroscopic & related surgery : official publication of the Arthroscopy Association of North America and the International Arthroscopy Association·2026

Same author

Return to Sport in Elite-Level Athletes Undergoing Hip Arthroscopy Varies Based on Return-to-Sport Definition: A Systematic Review.

Arthroscopy : the journal of arthroscopic & related surgery : official publication of the Arthroscopy Association of North America and the International Arthroscopy Association·2026

Same author

3D Planning and Patient-specific Instrumentation are Empowering Technologies in Pediatric Limb Reconstruction.

The Orthopedic clinics of North America·2026

Same author

Alpha-Gal Syndrome Managed With Omalizumab for Perioperative Optimization of Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Case Report.

JBJS case connector·2026

Same author

Popliteal Artery Injury Risk in Total Knee Arthroplasty Related to Anatomic Variations: A Scoping Review.

Arthroplasty today·2026

Same journal

Impact of Diagnosed Mental Health Disorders on Postoperative Outcomes After Achilles Tendon Repair.

Foot & ankle orthopaedics·2026

Same journal

Metatarsus Adductus Association With Fifth Metatarsal Fractures: Radiographic Analysis.

Foot & ankle orthopaedics·2026

Same journal

Percutaneous Debridement and Double-Row Repair for Insertional Achilles Tendinopathy With Immediate Postoperative Weightbearing: A Consecutive Case Series.

Foot & ankle orthopaedics·2026

Same journal

PROMIS Computerized Adaptive Testing Demonstrates Strong Convergent Validity and Lower Patient Burden Compared With Legacy Instruments in Foot and Ankle Fracture Care.

Foot & ankle orthopaedics·2026

Same journal

Depth of the Dorsalis Pedis Artery Distal to the First and Second Tarsometatarsal Joints: A Cadaveric Anatomical Study.

Foot & ankle orthopaedics·2026

Same journal

Implications of Size and Gender for Implant Fit and Coverage in Total Ankle Replacement.

Foot & ankle orthopaedics·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 18, 2025

Diagnosis of Musculus Gastrocnemius Tightness - Key Factors for the Clinical Examination

Diagnosis of Musculus Gastrocnemius Tightness - Key Factors for the Clinical Examination

Published on: July 7, 2016

Medial Gastrocnemius Recession

Irvin Oh¹, Jeremy Ansah-Twum¹, Arianna Gianakos¹

¹Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.

Foot & Ankle Orthopaedics

|June 23, 2025

Summary

No abstract available in PubMed .

Keywords:

gastrocnemius recession medial gastrocnemius recession proximal medial gastrocnemius recession

More Related Videos

Tibial Nerve Transection - A Standardized Model for Denervation-induced Skeletal Muscle Atrophy in Mice

Tibial Nerve Transection - A Standardized Model for Denervation-induced Skeletal Muscle Atrophy in Mice

Published on: November 3, 2013

Author Spotlight: Exploring the Complexities of Achilles Tendon Injuries — Research and Future Directions

Author Spotlight: Exploring the Complexities of Achilles Tendon Injuries — Research and Future Directions

Published on: October 27, 2023

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Sep 18, 2025

Diagnosis of Musculus Gastrocnemius Tightness - Key Factors for the Clinical Examination

Diagnosis of Musculus Gastrocnemius Tightness - Key Factors for the Clinical Examination

Published on: July 7, 2016

Tibial Nerve Transection - A Standardized Model for Denervation-induced Skeletal Muscle Atrophy in Mice

Tibial Nerve Transection - A Standardized Model for Denervation-induced Skeletal Muscle Atrophy in Mice

Published on: November 3, 2013

Author Spotlight: Exploring the Complexities of Achilles Tendon Injuries — Research and Future Directions

Author Spotlight: Exploring the Complexities of Achilles Tendon Injuries — Research and Future Directions

Published on: October 27, 2023