Anatomy study note · Lower limb

Short lateral rotators of the hip

Small deep muscles behind the hip (piriformis, obturator internus, gemellus superior and inferior, quadratus femoris, with obturator externus below) that laterally rotate the thigh and separate the hip joint from the sciatic nerve.

Key points

• Piriformis, obturator internus, gemelli, quadratus femoris, obturator externus.
• All laterally rotate the hip.
• Lie between the hip joint and the sciatic nerve.
• Obturator externus = obturator nerve; the rest = sacral plexus.
• Limb muscles: in situ from limb-bud mesenchyme.
• Upper limb bud C4–T2; lower limb bud L2–S2.
• Skeletal muscle: multinucleated, peripheral nuclei, striated.
• Epimysium → perimysium → endomysium.

The full note in the atlas also covers

Origin · Insertion · Action · Nerve supply · Histology · Development

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Written from

• Snell’s Clinical Anatomy by Regions, 10th ed., ch. 11, PDF pp. 1282, 1288, 1321, 1393
• Inderbir Singh’s Human Embryology, ch. 7, PDF p. 109; ch. 10, PDF pp. 142–145
• BRS Cell Biology & Histology, 7th ed., ch. 8, PDF pp. 135–144

More from the lower limb

• Small saphenous vein
• Sole muscles: first layer
• Sole muscles: second layer
• Sole muscles: third layer
• Soleus
• Superficial fibular nerve
• Sural nerve
• Tarsal bones
• Tarsal joints and arches of the foot
• Tendo calcaneus
• Tensor fasciae latae
• Tibia

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