Lateral muscles of Hip and Thigh

The lateral aspect of the hip and thigh muscles are as follows –

Table of Contents

This is the anterior most muscle on the external aspect of the hip and thigh. It is triangular in form with its base below and apex at the lateral angle of the ilium.
Origin: Lateral angle of ilium.
Insertion: Fascia latae and lateral patellar ligament
Action: To tense the fascia latae, flex the hip and extend the stifle.
Blood supply: Circumflex iliac artery.
Nerve supply: Anterior gluteal nerve.
(Note: The superficial gluteus muscle is absent in ox. The anterior part of this muscle appears to fuse with the tensor fascia latae and the posterior part with the biceps femoris.)

This is a large quadrilateral muscle lying behind the middle gluteus and tensor fascia latae. It extends from the sacral spines to the proximal extremity of the leg. It is wide at its proximal part as it has the posterior portion of the superficial gluteus blended with it.
Origin: Sacral spines, sacro-sciatic ligament, tuber ischii and gluteal fascia.
Insertion: The lower part of the muscle is succeeded by three aponeurotic tendons, which are inserted to the patella, tibial crest and fascia latae.
Action: To extend the limb and abduct it to assist in kicking and propulsion. The anterior part extends the stifle joint; the middle part extends the hip and the posterior part tenses the fascia latae.
Blood supply: Posterior gluteal, deep femoral and posterior femoral arteries.
Nerve supply: Posterior gluteal and sciatic nerves.

This muscle is the larger of the two gluteal muscles. It covers the greater part of the gluteal surface of the ilium and the lateral wall of the pelvis, and extends on the lumbar part of the longissimus dorsi as far forwards as the fourth lumbar vertebra. It is partly covered by the combined biceps femoris and superficial gluteus muscle. The muscle extends outwards and forwards beyond the level of the anterior edge of the ilium.
Origin: Lateral angle of the ilium, sacro-sciatic ligament, gluteal surface of the ilium and gluteal fascia.
Insertion: Three branches of insertion – anterior, middle and posterior. Of these, the posterior is muscular and the other two are tendinous. (1) Anterior – by a short tendon to the area below the trochanter major; (2) Middle – by a strong tendon to the summit of the trochanter major (3) Posterior-by a fleshy insertion to the trochanteric ridge.
- The part inserted to the area below the trochanter major is easily separable and deep and is called the gluteus accessorius.
Action: To extend the hip joint and abduct the limb to assist in kicking and propulsion.
Blood supply: Anterior gluteal artery.
Nerve supply: Anterior gluteal nerve.

This muscle is completely under the cover of the preceding. It is thinner and smaller of the two gluteal muscles and irregularly quadrilateral in shape. It extends from the lateral angle of the ilium over the hip joint below the trochanter major of the femur.
Origin: Lateral angle of the ilium and the gluteal surface in front of the gluteal line; the lateral surface of the ischiatic spine.
Insertion: A tubercle, a little below the base of the trochanter major below the insertion of middle gluteus.
Action: To abduct the limb and rotate it inwards.
Blood supply: Anterior gluteal artery.
Nerve supply: Anterior gluteal nerve.

It is a very long muscle extending from the tuber ischii to the proximal third of the medial face of the tibia. It lies at first between the biceps femoris and semimembranosus; in its lower third it lies between the biceps femoris and gracilis.
Origin: Ventral surface of the tuber ischii.
Insertion: Tibial crest and fascia latae.
Action: To extend the hip and assist in kicking and propulsion.
Blood supply: Deep femoral artery.
Nerve supply: Sciatic nerve.

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