The biceps muscle of the thigh is an important muscle of the lower limb and primarily functions related to flexing the thigh and knee joints. Injuries of the biceps muscle of the thigh, such as stretching or rupture, can occur both during professional sports and during everyday activities, e.g. sudden movement of the leg. How is the biceps muscle of the thigh built? How is its damage manifested?

The biceps muscle of the thigh(Latin musculus biceps femoris) is a long and strong muscle of the lower limb located in its back part. It belongs to the group of posture muscles, i.e. muscles influencing body posture.

Biceps muscle of the thigh - structure

As the name suggests, the biceps muscle of the thigh consists of two parts (the so-called heads), which have a different origin and place of attachment:

  • long head runs over the hip joint and knee joint; attaches to the posterior surface of the pelvic sciatic tumor, where it is attached with a tendon
  • short head runs over the knee joint; begins on the lateral lip of the rough line and the intermuscular septum of the lateral thigh.
  • The end attachment of both heads of the biceps muscle of the thigh is on the head of the fibula.

Biceps muscle of the thigh - Features

The entire biceps muscle is involved in lowering (long head) and lifting (short head) of the pelvis. In addition, the long head of the biceps is involved in straightening the hip joint and bringing and turning the thigh. In contrast, both heads of the biceps muscle of the thigh are responsible for bending the knee joint and rotating the knee outwards.

Biceps muscle of the thigh - injuries

The biceps muscle of the thigh can suffer injuries, such as:

  • contusion - it is mainly damage to the subcutaneous tissue with the surrounding blood vessels
  • stretch - it is a slight damage to the muscle fibers, where the individual fibers shift relative to each other
  • tear - it happens when more than 5% of muscle fibers are damaged
  • rupture - it is a damage consisting in a complete break in the continuity of the muscle, blood vessels and nerve fibers; a rupture is the most serious injury to the biceps muscle of the thigh and is common in sportswhich require sharp bending of the knee, e.g. sprint

Injuries of the biceps muscle of the thigh may be caused by overloads resulting from intense activity of people who have not applied the proper warm-up and stretching before training. Other causes of injuries to the biceps muscle of the thigh include:

  • sudden movement or change of direction, e.g. sudden jump
  • overtraining and no post-workout regeneration
  • mechanical trauma, e.g. as a result of a fall or impact

Biceps muscle of the thigh - symptoms of injury

Symptoms of an injury or contusion of the biceps muscle of the thigh are most often sudden and sharp pain located at the back of the thigh. Other symptoms include:

  • limitation of the leg range of motion,
  • muscle tenderness,
  • swelling,
  • hematoma
  • or bruise.

It is worth noting that the severity of the symptoms of a hamstring injury will be related to the type of injury. However, to find out the exact cause of pain in the back of your leg, it's best to consult a specialist doctor.

It is not worth ignoring the symptoms as failure to intervene can lead to further damage to the biceps muscle. A specialist doctor will order a number of diagnostic tests, such as ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging, in order to make a precise diagnosis.

Biceps muscle of the thigh - treatment of the injury

After performing diagnostic tests and determining the type of injury, appropriate treatment may be implemented. Light injuries of the hamstring muscle usually require only limb movement restriction, rest, and the use of painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs.

In case of more serious injuries, it may be necessary to resort to rehabilitation, including physical therapy, kinesiotherapy and massages, and in extreme situations, even surgery.

Category:

Anatomy