Popliteus

Nov 11, 2021 | Muscle

Origin

Lateral surface of lateral condyle of femur

Insertion

Upper part of posterior surface of tibia

Actions

Rotates leg medially, flexes leg.

The Popliteus comes into action especially at the commencement of the movement of flexion of the knee; by its contraction the leg is rotated inward, or, if the tibia be fixed, the thigh is rotated outward, and the knee-joint is unlocked.

Nerve

Tibial nerve (L4, L5, S1)

Note

This muscle stabilizes the knee by preventing lateral rotation of the tibia during medial rotation of the thigh while the foot is planted. Knee stabilization allows standing without undue fatigue to the quadriceps.

Discover more

This is a part of the article you can find in Knowlative WebApp. To see the full content of the article click the link below and enter the app.
Not subscribed yet? Discover more on our WebApp.