Muscle
Rectus femoris
Quadriceps — crosses hip and knee
High-yield
Only quadriceps head that also flexes the hip (crosses two joints). Femoral nerve.
Overview
The only quadriceps muscle that crosses both the hip and knee, so it flexes the hip in addition to extending the knee.
Reference facts
- Origin
Straight head: anterior inferior iliac spine. Reflected head: ilium above the acetabulum
- Insertion
Base of the patella, then via the patellar ligament to the tibial tuberosity
- Action
Extends the knee and flexes the hip
- Innervation
Femoral nerve (L2, L3, L4)
- Blood supply
Lateral femoral circumflex / femoral arteries