3
IN-LAB EXERCISES
Use the following modules to guide your exploration of the pelvis and lower limb regions of the muscular
system. As you explore the modules, locate the muscles on any available charts, models, or specimens.
The muscles of the pelvis and lower limb are generally larger than other muscles, because they serve
to support the weight of the body as well as to provide movement. These muscles have different jobs,
depending on where they are located, but they are all involved in moving the lower limb. A few are also able
to move the trunk if the leg is fixed. You will be able to make a good guess about what action the muscle
performs if you know which side of the joint the muscle crosses.
The long names of some of these muscles can be daunting, but they are often very descriptive. You can find
origins, insertions, actions, and/or locations of these muscles, simply in the names. When reviewing the
action of a muscle, it will be helpful to think about where the muscle is located and where the insertion is.
Muscle physiology requires that a muscle will “pull,” instead of “push,” during contraction, and the insertion
is the part that will move. Imagine that the muscle is “pulling” on the bone or tissue it is attached to at the
insertion.
You may access 3D views and animated muscle actions in Visible Body’s Human Anatomy Atlas, which will be
especially helpful to visualize muscle actions. When you select a structure in the Atlas app, you can read the
definition and hear the pronunciation in the content box. When you select a muscle, be sure to select the blue
pin icon in the content box to view origins and insertions as visible pins on the muscle (select “attachments”)
and to view the blood supply and/or the nerve supply.
In each module below, identify the following:
• Muscle location
• Origin(s) and insertion(s)
• Muscle action
• Nerve supply
You are responsible for the identification ofall bold terms.
