Lower limb
Semitendinosus
Musculus semitendinosus
- Origin
- Ischial tuberosity (common tendon with the long head of biceps femoris)
- Insertion
- Medial surface of the tibia, via the superficial pes anserinus
- Function
- Extension of the hip, flexion and internal rotation of the knee
- Innervation
- Tibial nerve (L5-S2)
- Movement & chain
- Long, tendinous muscle course; together with sartorius and gracilis forms the pes anserinus tendon, which stabilizes the knee against valgus and external rotation forces.
- Palpation
- Medial hamstring tendon, easily felt as a cord at the medial side of the popliteal fossa during resisted flexion.
- Clinical
- Commonly used as a tendon graft in ACL reconstruction (together with gracilis).
- Segmental innervation
- Tibial nerve, L5-S2.
- In clinical practice
- The tendon is widely used as an autograft in ACL reconstruction (together with gracilis) and is relevant for hamstring stretching exercises and strength tests.
- Region in the model
- Lower limb