The anatomy and morphometry of the proximal semimembranosus muscle tendon - a cadaveric study with clinical implications
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Published on: September 27, 2020
Tomasz S Kozioł1, Michał Mordarski2, Kordian Fuksa2
1Department of Anatomy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland. tomasz1.koziol@uj.edu.pl.
Introduction:
The semimembranosus muscle (SM) is a key component of the posterior thigh and an integral part of the hamstring group. It plays a crucial role in lower limb movement, particularly in knee flexion, hip extension, and medial rotation of the tibia (with the knee flexed), in cooperation with other muscles of the hamstring complex. The aim of this study was to assess the anatomy and morphometry of the SM proximal tendon.
Materials And Methods:
The proximal tendon of the semimembranosus muscle was carefully dissected and examined in 60 cadaveric specimens (32 left and 28 right) obtained from 60 cadavers (27 females and 33 males).
Results:
During dissection, one tendon variant was identified on the medial side, whereas two tendon variants (Type I and Type II) were distinguished on the lateral side. Type I was observed in 42 specimens, while Type II was identified in 18 specimens. Morphometric parameters, including the lateral and medial lengths of the superficial part of the SM tendon, the lateral and medial lengths of the deep part of the tendon, as well as tendon thickness and width, were measured in detail.
Conclusions:
This study demonstrates that the proximal tendon of the semimembranosus muscle exhibits distinct anatomical variability. These findings may provide valuable reference data for clinicians, particularly orthopedic surgeons and radiologists, in the diagnosis and treatment of hamstring injuries.
