Semitendinosus muscle actions
Flexion of knee, extension of the hip joint
What is the semitendinosus?
The semitendinosus is one of the three muscles in the hamstring muscle group. The other two are the semimembranosus and the biceps femoris. The semitendinosus is the longest of these three muscles, and it runs along the back of the thigh. It helps you extend your thigh, rotate your tibia — the main bone in your lower leg, and flex your knee.
What is the antagonist of the semitendinosus?
The semitendinosus is also a weak medial rotator of the hip. 2. Flexion of the leg at the knee. Agonists: biceps femoris (long head), biceps femoris (short head), and semimembranosus. Antagonists: vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, vastus intermedius, and rectus femoris.
What exercises work The semitendinosus?
The Nordic hamstring curl is another strength-training exercise that particularly targets your semitendinosus. It uses your legs to control your body weight as you lean forward and straighten back up. Step 1: Kneel on the floor, putting a pad or towel beneath your knees for comfort.

What does the semitendinosus muscle do?
The semitendinosus muscle, collectively with the other two muscles of the posterior compartment of the thigh, works to extend at the hip and flex at the knee. The semitendinosus muscle, in particular, has the added functionality of assisting the popliteus muscle in rotating the leg internally.
What is the action of the semimembranosus?
In the lower part of the thigh, semitendinosus and semimembranosus together form the upper medial boundary of the popliteal fossa. It's primary action is knee flexion,knee internal rotation and hip extension .
What is the action of the semitendinosus muscle quizlet?
What action does the semitendinosus perform? The semitendinosus extends the thigh, flexes the leg, and rotates the leg medially.
What is the insertion of the semitendinosus?
Insertion. The semitendinosus tendon inserts at the upper part of the medial surface of the tibia, behind the attachment of sartorius and infero-anterior to the attachment of gracilis.
Does the semitendinosus flex the knee?
The semitendinosus muscle lies between the other two. These three muscles work collectively to flex the knee and extend the hip. The muscle also helps to medially rotate the tibia on the femur when the knee is flexed and medially rotate the femur when the hip is extended.
What is the action movement of the 3 hamstrings?
The three hamstring muscles are: Biceps femoris, closest to the outside of your body. The function of this hamstring is to flex your knee, extend the thigh at your hip and rotate your lower leg from side-to-side when your knee is bent. Semimembranosus, closest to the middle of your body.
Where is the semitendinosus quizlet?
A long, bandlike muscle that connects the ischium to the proximal end of the tibia. Becomes tendenous at the middle of the thigh, then continues to its insertion as a long, cordlike tendon.
What is the hamstrings action quizlet?
The primary function of the hamstrings is to flex the knee joint and extend the hip, enabling some of the essential lower limb activities such as walking, running, and climbing.
What are the names of the three hamstring muscles and their actions quizlet?
They include the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus. The hamstrings flex the knee joint, adduct the leg, and extend the thigh to the backside of the body. They are used in walking and running.
What muscle is antagonist semitendinosus?
The antagonist of the semitendinosus is the psoas major, and iliacus (at the hip joint), and rectus femoris, vastus (medialis, lateralis, intermedius) at the knee joint.
Is the semimembranosus an antagonist?
Semimembranosus muscleActionsExtension of hip and flexion of kneeAntagonistQuadriceps muscle and Tensor fasciae lataeIdentifiersLatinMusculus semimembranosus10 more rows
What is the semimembranosus muscle?
Semimembranosus muscle (musculus semimembranosus) Semimembranosus is one of four posterior thigh muscles that are responsible for extending the hip. The other three muscles that belong to the hip extensor group are semitendinosus, biceps femoris and gluteus maximus.
What type of muscle is semimembranosus muscle?
hamstring musclesThe semimembranosus muscle is one of the hamstring muscles in the posterior compartment of the thigh and accompanies the semitendinosus muscle in the medial aspect of the posterior thigh. It is named for its flattened membranous tendon of its ischial attachment.
What does semimembranosus mean?
Medical Definition of semimembranosus : a large muscle of the inner part and back of the thigh that arises by a thick tendon from the back part of the tuberosity of the ischium, is inserted into the medial condyle of the tibia, and acts to flex the leg and rotate it medially and to extend the thigh.
Where does the semitendinosus insert?
It inserts at the medial tibial condyle. The semitendinosus muscle is comprised primarily of fast twitch muscle fibers. Fast twitch muscle fibers undergo rapid contractions for a short time period and easily wear themselves out.
Which muscle is used to extend the hip?
The other two are the semimembranosus muscle and the biceps femoris. The semitendinosus muscle lies between the other two. These three muscles work collectively to flex the knee and extend the hip. The semitendinosus muscle begins at the inner surface of the base of the pelvis (known as the tuberosity of the ischium) and the sacrotuberous ligament.
What nerves are involved in pulling hamstrings?
The inferior gluteal artery and the perforating arteries bring oxygenated blood to the semitendinosus muscle. A segment of the sciatic nerve serves as the sensory and motor nerve for the muscle. When the semitendinosus muscle becomes overly strained, a pulled hamstring results.
What is the semitendinosus?
The semitendinosus is also a weak medial rotator of the hip. 2. Flexion of the leg at the knee. Agonists: biceps femoris (long head), biceps femoris (short head), and semimembranosus. Antagonists: vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, vastus intermedius, and rectus femoris.
Where is the semitendinosus located?
Semitendinosus is one of the three muscles that make up the hamstrings muscle group, and it is located at the posterior and medial aspect of the thigh. The semitendinosus is so named due to it having a long tendon of insertion.
Which is more superficial, a semitendinosus or a semimembranosus?
The semitendinosus is more superficial than the semimembranosus (with which it shares very close insertion and attachment points). However, because the semimembranosus is wider and flatter than the semitendinosus, it is still possible to palpate the semimembranosus directly.
Which of the following tendons assists with flexion of the knee?
Gracilis, sartorius, popliteus, gastrocnemius, and plantaris assist with flexion of the knee.
What tendon is used to replace collateral ligament?
A grafted semitendinosus tendon (sometimes combined with gracilis tendo n) may be used to replace an unrepairable cruciate or collateral ligament, a service that was previously provided by a graft from the patellar ligament. While either donor site may be used, the hamstring choice provides less post-operative consequences to kneeling.
How does semitendinosus work?
Semitendinosus works with the other hamstring muscles to help extend the hip when the trunk is bent forwards for example when straightening up from bending down to the floor. It also helps to bend the knee. If the knee is in a bent position, it will medially rotate the knee (turn it inwards). If the foot is fixed on the floor, semitendinosus will laterally rotate (turn outwards) the pelvis and femur on the tibia.
What is the Semitendinosus muscle?
Muscle Group: Semitendinosus is one of the three hamstring muscles. Nerve Supply: Tibial branch of the sciatic nerve (L5, S1, S2) Special Features: At its insertion, it forms part of the pes anserinus, along with tendons from the Sartorius and Gracilis muscles.
Why is the Pes Anserinus named?
These three tendons form the Pes Anserinus, thus named due to the appearance resembling a webbed “goose’s foot”.
What muscles do hamstrings work with?
The hamstrings also play an important role in stability, working with the abdominal muscles and glutes to control the fine balancing and position of the pelvis when standing such as the anteroposterior tilt of the pelvis and lumbar lordosis. They also control the forward movement of the tibia during the swing phase of walking and running, working eccentrically to decelerate knee extension.
What is the shape of a semitendinosus?
After a short distance, the tendons divide and semitendinosus forms a fusiform muscle belly (wide spindle shape like a feather) before quickly giving way to a long tendon. This tendon passes downwards and slightly medially (inwards).
What happens when the knee is bent?
If the knee is in a bent position, it will medially rotate the knee (turn it inwards). If the foot is fixed on the floor, semitendinosus will laterally rotate (turn outwards) the pelvis and femur on the tibia.
Where is the hamstring located?
It is one of the hamstring muscles that runs down the posteromedial aspect of the thigh. It is so named due to its long tendon of insertion. It runs very close to the other two hamstring muscles, arising from a common point with biceps femoris and running superficial to semimembranosus.
How to strengthen the semitendinosus?
Exercises to Help Strengthen and Stretch the Semitendinosus. The goal of these exercises is to loosen and strengthen the semitendinosus in order to prevent injury and improve range of motion and posture. These simple stretching exercises are easy to do at home, and they require only a few typical household items you probably already have lying ...
What muscles are used to stretch the semitendinosus?
Exercises to Help Strengthen and Stretch the Semitendinosus. Safety Considerations. The semitendinosus is one of the three muscles in the hamstring muscle group. The other two are the semimembranosus and the biceps femoris. The semitendinosus is the longest of these three muscles, and it runs along the back of the thigh.
What is the best exercise for semitendinosus?
The Nordic hamstring curl is another strength-training exercise that particularly targets your semitendinosus. It uses your legs to control your body weight as you lean forward and straighten back up.
What is the process of bending your knee?
Knee Flexion. Knee flexion is just the process of bending your knee. Doing so engages your hamstring muscles, particularly your semitendinosus. Step 1: Stand behind a chair, using the chair back to balance as you put your weight onto one foot.
Which muscle is the longest?
The semitendinosus is the longest of these three muscles, and it runs along the back of the thigh. It helps you extend your thigh, rotate your tibia — the main bone in your lower leg, and flex your knee. Weak or tight hamstring muscles can result in muscle strain. In fact, hamstring muscle injuries are the most common sports injury.
