What Is the Sartorius Muscle?

The sartorius is a muscle in the human body that assists in most lower body movement. It is necessary for a normal range of motion while walking.

The Muscle

The sartorius is the longest and one of the strongest muscles in the body. It starts on the outside of the hip, runs down the length of the thigh and attaches near the inside of the knee.

Function

The sartorius assists in rotation, flexion and abduction of the hip, as well as flexion of the knee.

Significance

The sartorius muscle is a superficial muscle, meaning it is close to the surface of the skin.

Potential

There are several workouts that target the sartorius muscle to help strengthen it. These include the cable lying leg raise, incline leg raise and Roman chair sit-up.

Warning

You can pull the sartorius muscle while running or jumping. You can also injure it by taking a direct hit during a contact sport. You will feel sartorius muscle pain in the inner thigh and groin, making it painful to bring the legs together. Damage to the sartorius muscle makes walking very difficult.

Treatment

You can treat mild sartorius muscle soreness with a heating ointment or cream. If damage is severe, you can apply an ice pack, as well as a heating pad. Doctors recommend staying off the leg for a few days during severe pain.

References

• Groin Strain
• Impress Your Friends: A Primer On Some Of The More Obscure Muscle Groups
• Sartorius

Resources

• Sartorius Muscle
• Sartorius