Vastus intermedius

Looks like

The deep quadriceps head lying on the front of the thigh bone, under rectus femoris.

What it does

Straightens the knee, working with the other quadriceps heads.

Keeping it well

Can be bruised by a direct blow ('dead leg'); rest, then gentle movement.

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