Today we're talkin' VASTUS LATERALIS - this thigh muscle owns your lateral femur (thigh bone). Lateral means 'furthest away from the mid-line of the body -or- "outside edge".
Vastus Lateralis lives next door to one of the hamstrings (biceps femoris- coming soon!)
- it also lives beneath the IT band.
Muscle Attachment Points
Origin: lateral lip of the linea aspera, gluteal tuberosity*
(*see blue areas on image below)
(*see blue areas on image below)
Insertion: tibial tuberosity(via the patellar ligament/tendon**)
**sometimes you'll hear Patellar Ligament and sometimes you'll hear Patellar Tendon. They are one in the same: while all four quad muscles turn into the patellar tendon (tendons connect muscle to bone) it is ALSO considered a Ligament because it attaches bone to bone: attaching the patella (knee cap) to the tibia (lower leg bone).
Muscle Action:
Extends the leg @ the knee joint
- aka tibio-femoral joint - where femur(thighbone) meets tibia (lower leg bone
Here is some impressive upside down Leg Extension :
ONE MORE QUAD to go! Saving my favourite for last: Rectus Femoris
(the only quad to cross BOTH the knee joint AND the Hip Joint :)
- aka tibio-femoral joint - where femur(thighbone) meets tibia (lower leg bone
Here is some impressive upside down Leg Extension :
ONE MORE QUAD to go! Saving my favourite for last: Rectus Femoris
(the only quad to cross BOTH the knee joint AND the Hip Joint :)
