The quadriceps femoris also known as the quadriceps extensor, quadriceps or quads is agreat extensor muscle of the knee and it is a four headed muscle on the front of the thigh or four separate portions of the muscles. They all have their own names. All four parts of the quadriceps muscle join together forming one tendon which extends to the patellar lligament on the knee.
Rectus femoris is in the middle of the thigh, covering most of the other three quadriceps muscles. The rectus femoris muscle starts as two or three heads from pelvic bone. The straight head attaches to the anterior inferior iliac spine, and the reflected head attaches to the superior rim of the acetabulum and capsule of the hip. Sometimes there is a recurrent head that arises from the anterosuperior angle of the femur’s greater trochanter. All the heads join, and the belly of the muscle then runs down the anterior thigh to attach by a broad aponeurosis to the base of the patella.
The rectus femoris muscle not only extends the knee but also flexes the hip. If the thigh is fixed, contraction of this muscle helps to tilt the pelvis forward. Trigger points of this muscle can be present on front of the hip joint and knee joint. If trigger points are present in this muscle, one can feel thigh pain and tightness and deep aching in the knee.
The other three lie deep to rectus femoris and originate from the body of the thigh bone, femur.
Vastus laterlis is on the outside of the thigh; trigger points of the muscle can be found on the outside of the thigh. vastus medialis is on the inside of the thigh; trigger points of this muscle can be found at the inside of the thigh. Vastus intermedius is in the middle, underneath the rectus femoris.
Acupuncture can help release trigger points of these muscles and reduce thigh and knee pain.
