Did you know that the sartorius is the longest muscle in the body? The sartorius muscle acts synergistically in conjunction with the other muscles of the hip, thigh, and knee. Together with the quadriceps femoris, the sartorius muscle is one of the muscles in the front of the thigh. The sartorius muscle flexes, abducts and externally rotates the thigh. It also flexes and internally rotates the leg.
Function
The sartorius muscle crosses both the hip and knee joints, making it responsible for movements of the hip and knee. At the hip joint, the sartorius it is capable of flexion, external rotation and abduction of the leg. The contraction of sartorius can also cause flexion of the knee joint and inward, or medial, rotation of the tibia against the femur.
The combination of all these movements allows an individual to sit in a cross-legged position. However, movements created by the contraction of sartorius are not limited to that single function.
Common Symptoms From Strained or Tight Sartorius Muscle
The pes anserine bursa located at the insertion of the sartorius muscle can become inflamed (pes anserine bursitis) when chronically overstrained (e.g. when jogging or breast stroking).
Common symptoms:
- Pain
- Swelling
- Inflammation
If you are having knee or hip pain that is preventing you from moving freely, Respire can help! Call Respire Physical Therapy at 703-671-1871 to schedule an evaluation today!
Tags: falls church, sartorius, Hip Pain Relief, running pain, Knee Pain Relief, leg pain, Physical Therapy, Respire Physical Therapy, physical fitness, physical therapist, health and wellness, chronic pain
