Rectus femoris muscle

Rectus femoris muscle
Muscles of the iliac and anterior femoral regions. (Rectus femoris visible near center.)
Details
Origin	anterior inferior iliac spine and the exterior surface of the bony ridge which forms the groove on the iliac portion of the acetabulum
Insertion	inserts into the patellar tendon as one of the four quadriceps muscles
Artery	descending branch of the lateral femoral circumflex artery
Nerve	femoral nerve
Actions	knee extension; hip flexion
Antagonist	Hamstring
Identifiers
Latin	Musculus rectus femoris
TA	A04.7.02.018
FMA	22430
Anatomical terms of muscle []

The rectus femoris muscle (/ˈrɛktəs ˈfɛmərᵻs/) is one of the four quadriceps muscles of the human body. The others are the vastus medialis, the vastus intermedius (deep to the rectus femoris), and the vastus lateralis. All four parts of the quadriceps muscle attach to the patella (knee cap) via the quadriceps tendon.

The rectus femoris is situated in the middle of the front of the thigh; it is in shape, and its superficial fibers are arranged in a bipenniform manner, the deep fibers running straight (rectus) down to the deep aponeurosis. Its functions are to flex the thigh at the hip joint and to extend the leg at the knee joint.

It arises by two tendons: one, the anterior or straight, from the anterior inferior iliac spine; the other, the posterior or reflected, from a groove above the rim of the acetabulum.