Rectus femoris

Looks like

The quadriceps head running straight down the front of the thigh from the pelvis to the kneecap.

What it does

Straightens the knee and lifts the thigh; the only quad head crossing the hip.

Keeping it well

Strained in sprinting and kicking; a gap in the muscle after a pop needs assessment.

Related conditions

• Botulism
• Chronic venous insufficiency
• Dermatomyositis and polymyositis
• Fibromyalgia
• Frailty & falls in older age
• Growing pains
• Heat exhaustion & heatstroke
• Lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis)
• Lymphoedema
• Malnutrition & refeeding syndrome
• Muscle strain (pulled muscle)
• Muscular dystrophy
• Osgood–Schlatter disease
• Poliomyelitis
• Polymyalgia rheumatica
• Restless legs syndrome
• Rhabdomyolysis
• Runner's knee (patellofemoral pain)
• Sarcoma
• Sarcopenia
• Spinal muscular atrophy
• Tetanus
• Trichinellosis
• Varicose veins