Posterior Compartment of Thigh (Left)

Description

The muscles of the posterior compartment (flexor compartment) are one of three subgroups of the thigh muscles, the other two being the muscles of the anterior and medial compartments. Overall, these muscles mainly act to:

- extend the thigh at the hip joint;

- flex the leg at the knee joint.

The muscles of the posterior compartment of the thigh consist of the:

- long head of the biceps femoris;

- short head of the biceps femoris;

- semitendinosus;

- semimembranosus.

The term “hamstrings” is the collective name given to the long head of biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus muscles. These three muscles share similar features, including:

- originating from the ischial tuberosity;

- acting on both the hip and knee joints;

- innervated by the tibial division of sciatic nerve.