Leg muscles

Nicole Wendler holds a PhD in biology in the field of oncology and immunology. As a medical editor, author and proofreader, she works for various publishers, for whom she presents complex and extensive medical issues in a simple, concise and logical manner.

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We actually train the leg muscles with every step in everyday life - when standing and walking, running, jumping, climbing stairs, shopping, dancing and cycling, even when sitting - the muscles of the lower extremities are constantly in use. It starts at the pelvis and ends at the toes. Read everything you need to know about leg muscles!

What are the leg muscles?

The leg muscles include all skeletal muscles from the hips down: parts of the pelvic girdle and gluteal muscles, thigh, lower leg and foot muscles. All of these muscles are striated muscles with which we can consciously control our movements. If the muscles cause the extremity to stretch, they are called extensors, flexors when flexing, adductors when approaching and abductors when spreading.

Hip muscles

The gluteal muscles are most prominent in the hip area of ​​the leg muscles. It consists of three main muscles: large (gluteus maximus muscle), medium (gluteus medius muscle) and small gluteus muscle (gluteus minimus). The inner, outer and deep hip muscles are also found here. In addition, the muscles of the thigh attach to the pelvis or hip joint: Extensors and flexors, adductors and abductors as well as muscles for external and internal rotation of the leg.

Thigh muscles

The thigh is the strongest muscle in our body: the quadriceps muscle. The muscle beginning at the pelvis consists of four muscle heads and attaches to the kneecap. The entire front of the thigh and part of the outside are covered by it.

The tailor's muscle pulls from the outside of the pelvis, the iliac bone, in a spiral to the inside of the knee. As the name suggests, it is necessary for sitting cross-legged. Other important muscles are the hamstrings on the back of the thighs and the adductors on the inside. The power transmission from the upper to the lower leg takes place via the tendons on the knee joint.

Lower leg muscles

The leg muscles of the lower legs are most noticeable at the back. There, the long and short fibula muscles in particular shape the calves. However, there are other muscles on the lower leg or they begin there. These include the shin muscles as well as the great and toe extensors or flexors. The leg muscles on the lower leg are closely connected to the muscles of the ankle, back and sole of the foot.

Foot muscles

The leg muscles end in the foot. There a distinction is made between intrinsic and extrinsic foot muscles. The intrinsic include all muscles in the foot itself, extrinsic foot muscles, on the other hand, arise from the lower leg muscles. The lower leg and foot are connected by several muscles at the ankle. Muscles on the back of the foot (short big toe and toe extension) and on the sole of the foot (muscles for spreading, bending and pulling the toes) are responsible for toe movements.

What is the function of the leg muscles?

An upright posture would be impossible without leg muscles. In addition, the skeletal muscles are used in every type of (locomotion) movement that we want to consciously and actively perform. Depending on the individual activity, several different muscle groups are always active together. Some activities require perseverance, others strength. These tasks are distributed among different muscle types: red muscles with more muscle fibers for endurance (holding muscles) and white muscles with poorer blood circulation for fast movements (movement muscles).

Standing and walking

Numerous muscles in the hips, legs and feet allow us to maintain balance and move around at the same time. In contrast to four-legged friends, when walking and standing on two legs, there is no distribution on the shoulder, so that especially the leg muscles attached to the hip joint are required in humans. In order for the gait to look relaxed and easy, all muscles from the pelvis to the foot must work closely together. With every change in posture, the body's center of gravity shifts. If we stand upright with both legs firmly on the ground, our body transfers its weight evenly to both legs via the hip joints. When walking, this load changes and the weight shifts alternately from one leg to the other (supporting leg - free leg). Thus, the center of gravity also shifts with every step. So that we don't fall over, the entire leg muscles are challenged together. For this reason, the functions of the leg muscles cannot be strictly separated according to leg section.

Hips and buttocks

Standing up, climbing stairs, walking upright or just standing - none of this is possible without the gluteal muscles. The gluteus muscle helps with straightening out of the hip joint as well as pulling in and spreading the thighs. In addition, it stabilizes the pelvis. It is supported by the middle and small glutes that pull towards the thigh. They ensure the internal and external rotation of the thigh and enable smooth walking.

There are other muscles hidden under the gluteal muscles in the deeper layers, which also stabilize the pelvis and contribute to the mobility of the hip joint and legs. This includes the piriformis muscle, a pear-shaped muscle that originates in the sacrum and attaches to the thigh bone. If he presses on the nearby sciatic nerve, severe pain can result (piriformis syndrome).

thigh

The largest muscle in the body, the quadriceps muscle, is actually more or less involved in every movement of the legs. The quadriceps and patellar tendons on the kneecap transfer the force to the lower leg.If we want to sit cross-legged, this cannot be done without the work of the thigh muscles, especially not without the tailor's muscles.

Lower leg

The leg muscles in the lower leg are active, for example, when we walk, jump, run or crouch, gently roll or circle our feet or wiggle our toes.

foot

With the intrinsic foot muscles, individual toes can be moved, they tighten the arch of the foot and absorb shocks when jumping. The extrinsic foot muscles are used for stability and enable the feet to rock and circling.

Where are the leg muscles located?

The leg muscles pull from the pelvis all the way down into the foot. The individual muscle groups (muscle boxes) sit close to the respective bones and are surrounded by connective tissue (fascia). The fasciae are the packaging system for the muscles. Together with the tendons, they ensure that the muscle is fixed to the bone and that contraction or power transmission is possible at all. The muscles are traversed by nerves, blood vessels and lymph vessels.

What problems can the leg muscles cause?

Symptoms of the leg muscles take different forms, such as:

• muscle pain
• Restrictions on movement
• Loss of strength or function
• Paralysis or loss of sensation

Most often, the leg muscles show tension. These can develop as a result of overexertion, misalignment or after injuries and can be quite painful. Since humans are constructed according to a kind of “building block” principle, in which one bone rests on the next and one muscle group corresponds to another, these complaints can continue through the individual sections of the leg muscles.

Acute pain in the leg muscles usually has one of the following causes:

• Muscle cramp
• Muscle strain
• Torn hamstring
• Muscle tear
• Tendon tear (such as quadriceps tendon, Achilles tendon rupture)

These typical sports injuries often affect the back (hamstring muscles) and the inside of the legs (adductors) of the leg muscles. In the event of a strain, only the smallest parts of the muscle (sarcomeres) tear and in the event of a fiber tear, individual muscle fibers. In the case of a rather painful muscle tear, on the other hand, a complete muscle bundle is severed. Since cold muscles tear more easily, you should definitely warm up before exercising and start training gently. If, on the other hand, you overdo it in sports, the sore muscles will follow the next day at the latest.

In addition, malformations of the musculoskeletal system, benign and malignant tumors, muscle inflammation (myositis) and poisoning can cause problems and complaints in the leg muscles.

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