How many fascial compartments are there in the leg

This makes it flexible, so it can stretch when the body moves. When healthy, fascia is also usually smooth and slippery, able to shift its consistency between a more gel-like state and a more fluid one. Fascial compartments are what we call groups of muscles and nerves wrapped in a layer of fascia. Usually, muscles within the same compartment are innervated by the same nerve or nerves.

Compartments are separated from one another by special bands of fascia called intermuscular septa. There are four fascial compartments in each of the upper limbs: the anterior and posterior compartments of the arm, and the anterior and posterior compartments of the forearm.

The anterior compartment of the arm contains the coracobrachialis and the prime movers of elbow flexion, the muscles that flex the elbow joint: the biceps brachii and brachialis. The muscles of the anterior compartment of the upper arm. In contrast, the posterior compartment of the arm contains the muscles that extend the elbow joint: the triceps brachii and anconeus. The anterior compartment of the forearm contains muscles that flex the wrist and digits and pronate the forearm, whereas the posterior component of the forearm contains muscles that extend the wrists and digits and supinate the forearm.

The medial intermuscular septum highlighted of the left leg, separating the anterior and medial compartments. The anterior compartment contains the sartorius, articularis genu, and the four muscles that make up the quadriceps femoris group.

These muscles are primarily involved in the extension of the knee joint. The medial compartment contains the pectineus, external obturator, gracilis, adductor magnus, adductor longus, and adductor brevis.

Most of these muscles participate in the adduction of the hip. The hamstrings biceps femoris, semimembranosus, and semitendinosus make up the posterior compartment.

These muscles help the knee joint flex. The lower leg has four compartments: anterior, lateral, deep posterior, and superficial posterior. The tibialis anterior, extensor hallucis longus, and extensor digitorum longus, and peroneus tertius, can be found in the anterior compartment. These muscles participate in the dorsiflexion of the foot. The lateral compartment contains the fibularis brevis and fibularis longus.

The deep posterior compartment contains the tibialis posterior, flexor hallucis longus, flexor digitorum longus, and popliteus. The popliteus helps rotate and flex the knee. The rest of the muscles in the deep posterior compartment participate in the flexion of the toes as well as the inversion and plantarflexion of the foot. Lastly, the superficial posterior compartment houses the gastrocnemius, soleus, and plantaris. The gastrocnemius is a prime mover of knee flexion, and the plantaris and soleus participate in plantarflexion of the foot.

The muscles that make up the superficial posterior compartment of the lower leg. Fascia can become injured, much like tendons and ligaments. Plantar fasciitis , for example, happens when tension and stress on the plantar fascia cause tears to form in it, leading to inflammation and sharp pain. Microtears in the plantar fascia near where it attaches to the calcaneus bone.

These types of sports injuries reinforce the importance of balancing strength and flexibility, maintaining proper form when exercising, warming up and cooling down properly, and getting enough rest between exercise sessions. Traumatic injury, surgery, overuse, or too little physical activity can lead to another type of problem with fascia—adhesions. When the texture of the fascia becomes more dry and sticky, it can tighten around muscles, causing pain and limiting mobility.

Regular exercise, stretching, and maintaining good posture are all good ways to help reduce the risk of injury to fascia. Compartment syndrome is a pathology specific to fascial compartments, and it can be either acute or chronic.

In general, compartment syndrome happens when there is bleeding or swelling inside a compartment. This puts pressure on the fascia surrounding the compartment, as well as the nerves and blood vessels inside it.

Required Required. Forgot Password? Enter an Access Code. Sign in via: Open Athens Shibboleth. Become a subscriber to watch this video. If you have received this message in error for example, you have purchased a new subscription or activated a trial , please log out and log back in to start a new session and receive access.

Subscribe Now. The other two We are unable to redeem your access code. Please try again another time. Please take a moment to tell us about your experience with AclandAnatomy! Yes No. Tell us who you are. May we contact you about your feedback?

Your feedback has been successfully submitted. We are unable to receive your feedback at this time. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use our website, you are agreeing to our privacy policy.