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- Right sartorius.
- Right articularis genus.
- Right vastus medialis.
- Right vastus lateralis.
- Right vastus intermedius.
- Right rectus femoris.
What are the quadriceps?
The quadriceps are a group of muscles on the front of your thighs. As you may guess from the name, there are four distinct muscles that make up the quadriceps muscles. The four quad muscles have individual names and are located in different positions on the front of each of your tights. These names are: Vastus intermedius.
What is the difference between the rectus femoris and quadriceps?
Rectus femoris: The rectus formis is the superficial muscle on top of your thigh between the vastus medialis and laterals. The quadriceps are also known simply as the quads. If you hear someone speaking about the quads, this is the muscle group they are referring to.
How many quad muscles are in the human body?
Your quad muscles, or quadriceps femoris, are a group of muscles at the front of your thigh. Together, they contain more mass than any other muscle group in your body. You use your quads to perform a variety of movements, including kicking, running, jumping and walking. In the past, experts believed there were four quad muscles.
What is the strongest muscle in your upper leg?
Your quadriceps are some of the largest and strongest muscles in your body. Let’s take a closer look at these four muscles in your upper leg: Vastus lateralis. This muscle runs down the outside of your thigh, connecting your femur to your kneecap (patella).

Which quadriceps muscle is the largest and most powerful?
The vastus lateralis is on the outer side of the thigh. It is the largest and most powerful quad muscle.
What are the 4 quadriceps muscles?
The four 4 sub-components being:Rectus femoris.Vastus lateralis.Vastus medialis.Vastus intermedius (see links for further elaboration)
What is the largest leg muscle?
Gluteus Maximus The gluteus maximus is the biggest muscle in the human body, according to The Library of Congress. More commonly known as the glutes, this muscle is located behind your hips and is responsible for things like keeping your body upright and helping you walk up stairs.
What type of muscle is the quadriceps?
It is the sole extensor muscle of the knee, forming a large fleshy mass which covers the front and sides of the femur. The name derives from Latin four-headed muscle of the femur. Quadriceps femoris, with different muscles in different colors.
What is the longest muscle in the body?
The sartorius muscleThe sartorius muscle is the longest muscle in the human body. It is strap-like, up to 600 mm in length, and contains five to seven neurovascular compartments, each with a neuromuscular endplate zone.
What is the big muscle in your thigh called?
QuadricepsQuadriceps include four large muscles located in the front of the thigh: vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, vastus intermedius, and rectus femoris.
What is the largest muscle in the lower leg?
The gastrocnemius is the larger calf muscle, forming the bulge visible beneath the skin. The gastrocnemius has two parts or "heads," which together create its diamond shape. The soleus is a smaller, flat muscle that lies underneath the gastrocnemius muscle.
Which muscle is bigger quad or hamstring?
The quads are a larger muscle group than the hamstrings, so it's normal for them to be a little stronger. The hamstrings, however, are often much tighter than the quads, and of the two muscle groups, the hamstrings tend to be on the receiving end of more injuries.
How many muscles are in the quadriceps?
fourIt has four parts: rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and vastus intermedius.
What does the quadriceps femoris muscle do?
Your quad muscles, or quadriceps femoris, are a group of muscles at the front of your thigh. Together, they contain more mass than any other muscle group in your body. You use your quads to perform a variety of movements, including kicking, running, jumping and walking.
What does the vastus lateralis do?
Collectively, the quadriceps muscle is the largest in the human body and its purpose is to extend the knee. The specific task of the vastus lateralis muscle is to extend the lower leg and allow the body to rise up from a squatting position.
What are the 5 quadriceps muscles?
Purpose: The quadriceps femoris has been described as a muscle composed by four heads: rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis and vastus intermedius. Each head fuse with the other ones making up the quadriceps tendon, which inserts into the patella.
How do you hit all 4 quad muscles?
6:589:163 Exercises For Bigger Quads (HIT ALL 4 MUSCLES!) - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYour vastus lateralis that last that outside leg muscle while hitting all three other quad muscles.MoreYour vastus lateralis that last that outside leg muscle while hitting all three other quad muscles. And then also don't forget to go both sides of that so that you're hitting all parts of your quad.
How many muscles are in the quadriceps?
fourIt has four parts: rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and vastus intermedius.
What are the 4 hamstring muscles?
The hamstrings are a group of four muscles: long head of the biceps femoris, short head of the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus. Each hamstring crosses two joints—the hip and the knee.
Anatomy
Function
- If you sit in a chair and straighten your knee a few times, you can see and feel the quads in action on the front part of your thigh. When your quads contract, they straighten your leg at your knee joint, enabling you to run, walk, jump, climb stairs, stand from a seated position, and so much more. Since the quadriceps extend over the kneecap, they also help keep it in its proper position …
Associated Conditions
- Many sports and physical activities place a great deal of stress on the quads, making the quad muscles themselves prone to injury. The rectus femoris is the most frequently injured quadriceps muscle simply because it is closest to the skin and covers the other quad muscles.3 If you injure your quadriceps muscle(s), you may have difficulty with func...
Treatment
- Treatment depends on the specific issue that is compromising the quadriceps muscle(s). The possibilities range from rest and rehabilitation exercises to medication and surgery. Quadriceps contusion: Most quad contusions are minor and healon their own within a few weeks. Severe contusions can take up to six weeks to heal, though it can take longer if you continue to put stre…
Summary
- The quadriceps femoris is a group of four muscles located in each of your thighs. These are very powerful muscles that play a key role in most physical activities that involve the lower body, such as running, jumping, climbing stairs, and more. Because the quad muscles help straighten and stabilize the knee, injuring one or more of them can cause your kneecap to feel unstable. Knee in…
A Word from Verywell
- If you feel pain in the front of your thigh after an injury, you may have done something to your quadriceps. Often, injuries to the quads are easy to rehab; a little rest and some stretching may be all you need. Other times, a quadriceps injury can be serious, so check in with your healthcare provider in you have injured the front of your thigh.