Rectus Femoris Muscle - Origin and Insertion

Origin and Insertion

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.

The two unite at an acute angle, and spread into an aponeurosis which is prolonged downward on the anterior surface of the muscle, and from this the muscular fibers arise.

The muscle ends in a broad and thick aponeurosis which occupies the lower two-thirds of its posterior surface, and, gradually becoming narrowed into a flattened tendon, is inserted into the base of the patella.

The rectus femoris, sartorius and iliopsoas are the only muscles that are involved in flexion of the hip, since they are the only ones that originate in the pelvis and not the femur. By crossing the pelvic femoral joint they can act as a lever to flex the leg at the hip.

The rectus femoris is a weaker hip flexor when the knee is extended because it is already shortened and thus suffers from active insufficiency. In essence: the action of raising a straightened leg will recruit more iliacus, psoas major, tensor fasciae latae, and the remaining hip flexors than it will the rectus femoris.

Similarly, the rectus femoris is not dominant in knee extension when the hip is flexed since it is already shortened and thus suffers from active insufficiency. In essence: the action of extending a leg from a seated position is primarily driven by the vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and vastus intermedius, and less by the rectus femoris.

In the other extreme, the muscle's ability to flex the hip and extend can be compromised in a position of full hip extension and knee flexion, due to passive insufficiency.

The rectus femoris is considered a direct antagonist to the hamstrings. The hamstrings oppose the rectus femoris at the hip joint through extension and at the knee joint through flexion. The rectus femoris can be torn which can be extremely painful and potentially debilitating if there is a complete rupture.