Thigh

In humans, the thigh is the area between the pelvis and the knee. Anatomically, it is part of the lower limb.

The single bone in the thigh is called the femur. This bone is very thick and strong (due to the high proportion of cortical bone), and forms a ball and socket joint at the hip, and a condylar joint at the knee.

Structure

Bones

Overall, the leg (lower limb) consists of seven interior bones:

Muscular compartments

In cross-section, the thigh is divided up into three separate compartments, divided by fascia, each containing muscles. These compartments use the femur as an axis, and are separated by tough connective tissue membranes (or septa). Each of these compartments has its own blood and nerve supply, and contains a different group of muscles.

Anterior compartment muscles of the thigh include pectineus, sartorius, and the four muscles that comprise the quadriceps muscles- rectus femoris, vastus medialis, vastus intermedius and vastus lateralis.