| Origin | Anterior superior iliac spine |
| Insertion | Medial surface of tibial tuberosity (insertion is part of the pes anserinus) |
| Action | Flexes hip Hip abduction Lateral rotation of femur Flexes knee Medially rotates tibia when knee is flexed |
| Nerve | Femoral nerve (L2, L3, L4) |
| Artery | Femoral artery |
Location & Overview
The sartorius muscle is a superficial muscle (close to the skin’s surface). It runs down the length of the thigh, passing from the lateral to medial side and across the superoanterior portion of the thigh. It crosses two joints also (the hip and knee). It is the longest muscle in the human body. The word sartorius translated from Latin to English means ‘tailor’s muscle’. The reason for this name was in reference to the cross-legged position tailers used to sit in at the time [1] [2] [3].
Here we can see a superficial view of the sartorius muscle from an anterior direction.
Here we can see a superficial view of the sartorius muscle from a posterior direction.
Here we can see the sartorius muscle in isolation.
Origin & Insertion
The sartorius muscle originates at the anterior superior iliac spine. It then inserts on the medial surface of the tibial tuberosity. This insertion is part of the group of tendons called the ‘pes anserinus’ which insert in this region. The pes anserinus is comprised of the tendons of the sartorius, gracilis and semitendinosus muscles [4] [5].
Here we can see the origin of the sartorius muscle highlighted in red.
Here we can see the insertion of the sartorius muscle highlighted in blue.
Actions & Function
The sartorius muscle is able to perform the following actions: Flexion of the hip joint, hip abduction (moving the leg out to the side, away from the midline of the body), lateral rotation of femur (turning the leg outwards), flexing of the knee, medially rotating the tibia when knee is flexed (turns the tibia inward) [6] [7].
Innervation
The sartorius muscle is innervated by the femoral nerve (L2, L3, L4) [8] [9].
Blood Supply
Blood is supplied to the sartorius by the femoral artery [10].
Want some flashcards to help you remember this information? Then click the link below:
sartorius muscle flashcards
References
| ↑1 | Khan A, Arain A. Anatomy, Bony Pelvis and Lower Limb, Anterior Thigh Muscles. 2021 Jul 26. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan–. PMID: 30860696. |
|---|---|
| ↑2 | Dziedzic D, Bogacka U, Ciszek B. Anatomy of sartorius muscle. Folia Morphol (Warsz). 2014 Aug;73(3):359-62. doi: 10.5603/FM.2014.0037. PMID: 25242250. |
| ↑3, ↑4 | Moore KL, Agur AMR, Dalley AF. Clinically Oriented Anatomy. 8th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincot Williams & Wilkins; 2017. |
| ↑5 | Mohseni M, Graham C. Pes Anserine Bursitis. [Updated 2021 Jul 18]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532941/ |
| ↑6, ↑8 | Walters BB, Varacallo M. Anatomy, Bony Pelvis and Lower Limb, Thigh Sartorius Muscle. [Updated 2021 Aug 17]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532889/ |
| ↑7, ↑9 | Standring S. (2015). Gray’s Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice, 41st Edn. Amsterdam: Elsevier. |
| ↑10 | Arias DG, Marappa-Ganeshan R. Anatomy, Bony Pelvis and Lower Limb, Arteries. [Updated 2021 Jul 26]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK544319/ |
