Approach, Origin, Innervation | Quadriceps

Approach, Origin, Innervation

Base: Roughness of the anterior tibial tuberosity (Tuberositas tibiae) Origin: Innervation: N. femoralis, L 2 – 4

• Straight section: anterior lower iliac spine (spina iliaca anterior inferior) and upper edge of the acetabulum
• Internal thigh muscle: distal end (away from the body) of the rough line connecting the two trochanteric mounds (intertrochanteric line) and the medial lip of the bony groin of the posterior surface of the femur (medial labium linea asperae)
• Outer thigh muscle: greater trochanter and lateral lip of the bony groin on the posterior surface of the femur (labium laterale linea aspera)
• Medial thigh muscle: lateral surface of the thigh bone

Function

With the functional chain open, the function of the quadriceps consists of stretching the lower leg in the knee joint. This movement occurs when standing up, walking, running, jumping and climbing. When the functional chain is closed, the function is to catch and brake the upper body in the flexed knee joint.

The function of the muscle is therefore different. In the hip joint, the M. Rectus femoris causes a flexion, i.e. a flexion of the hip joint. It also supports and strengthens the hip joint.

In the knee joint, on the other hand, all 4 muscles cause an extension, i.e. a stretching of the knee joint. The quadriceps femoris muscle is the only extensor of the knee joint. Its significance for the straightening of the entire body is enormous.

It also ensures that the kneecap remains in its gliding groove. If the four muscles of the quadriceps femoris develop unevenly due to, for example, previous injuries or diseases, in some cases the kneecap may also dislocate, which means that the joint is injured and the kneecap is no longer in contact with its joint surface. The antagonist of the M quadriceps femoris is the M biceps femoris.

How is the muscle trained/contracted?

The quadriceps is one of the most trained muscles in leg muscle training. Due to its high physiological cross-section, corresponding adaptation symptoms can be expected. In advanced fitness training, as well as in bodybuilding, the quadriceps is preferably trained through the knee bends.Due to the high coordination requirements of the knee bends, the following exercises are suitable for beginners and health professionals: Leg press and leg extension.

There is a large number of knee bend exercises. The most effective way to perform this exercise is to position a barbell on the shoulders. However, you should prefer low weight and increase the number of repetitions slowly.

In addition, it is important to note that the movement towards the floor as well as upwards is done from the hips and that the body tension is always maintained. Incorrect training with knee bends can lead to back pain or injuries. Another simple method is the so-called “ascender” (stair climber).

It is not necessary to have (expensive) training equipment for this. You alternately push yourself up and down with one leg on an elevation (e.g. a box) and change the supporting leg. At the same time, the gluteus maximus muscle is also used and trained during this exercise.

Of course, training on the leg press is also a popular method, as well as an effective method. Compared to the leg press, however, the load on the knee joints is greater. Stretching the thigh extensors is one of the most common exercises in sports.

The quadriceps femoris muscle is put under a lot of strain in many sports (soccer, jogging, tennis). Therefore an intensive stretching of this muscle is necessary. If the thigh muscles are not stretched sufficiently or correctly, muscle shortening can occur in the long term.

Stretching is therefore indispensable if you want to avoid restrictions in locomotion. The stretching exercises should each be performed three times and held for 20 seconds. It is recommended to take a break of about 30 seconds between the exercises.

A simple and very effective exercise is stretching the muscle in lateral position. Here the lower leg is angled at 90 degrees in the knee joint. The upper leg is grasped by the hand on the same side of the foot and the tension is held for 20 seconds. It is important to retract the abdomen and push the pelvis forward until the stretching stimulus occurs. Of course, this exercise can also be performed in the standing position, but here the probability is increased that the pelvis will be moved.