Lateral rotator group | |
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Details | |
Origin | At or below the acetabulum of the ilium |
Insertion | On or near the greater trochanter of the femur |
Artery | Inferior gluteal artery, lateral sacral artery, superior gluteal artery |
Nerve | Obturator nerve, nerve to the piriformis, nerve to quadratus femoris |
Actions | Lateral rotation of hip |
Antagonist | Gluteus minimus muscle, gluteus medius muscle |
Anatomical terms of muscle |
The lateral rotator group is a group of six small muscles of the hip which all externally (laterally) rotate the femur in the hip joint. It consists of the following muscles: piriformis, gemellus superior, obturator internus, gemellus inferior, quadratus femoris and the obturator externus. [1]
All muscles in the lateral rotator group originate from the hip bone and insert on to the upper extremity of the femur. The muscles are innervated by the sacral plexus ( L4- S2), except the obturator externus muscle, which is innervated by the lumbar plexus. [2]
This group does not include all muscles which aid in lateral rotation of the hip joint: rather it is a collection of ones which are known for primarily performing this action. Other muscles that contribute to lateral rotation of the hip include: