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Iliacus
Other Terms:
Groin muscles,
Anterior muscle of pelvic girdle,
Musculus iliacus,
Muscle iliaque
Muscle parts
None
Latin name
Musculus iliopsoas – Musculus iliacus
Latin muscle parts
None
Group
Hip joint muscle – hip flexor group
Etymology
The English name for this muscle is the muscle of the groin or flank. The word iliacus comes from the medieval Latin term for the hip bone to which it attaches, which was named by Vesalius. Ancient Romans, however, called it the “flank bone,” as the term ilia referred to the “soft tissues of the flank.”
Origin
Superior half of the iliac fossa, the inner lip of the iliac crest, the anterior ligaments of the sacroiliac joint, and the superior surface of the lateral portion of the sacrum.
Insertion
Converges with the psoas major tendon to the lesser trochanter of femur; some fibers pass below the trochanter onto the medial surface of the proximal femur.
Action
Powerful flexor of the hip; weak lateral rotator of the hip joint.
Nerve supply
Branches from femoral nerve in pelvic region (L2 and L3)
Blood supply
The iliac branches of the iliolumbar artery and obturator artery supply blood from the internal iliac artery, while the lateral circumflex femoral artery and deep femoral artery deliver blood from the femoral artery.
Latin
Musculus iliacus
French
Muscle iliaque