406 



MUSCLES AND FASCIA. 



Fig. 254. Muscles of the Iliac and 

 Anterior Femoral Regions. 



different parts ; thus, it is thickest in the 

 upper and outer part of the thigh, where it 

 receives a fibrous expansion from the Glu- 

 teus Maximus muscle, and the Tensor Va- 

 ginae Femoris is inserted between its layers: 

 it is very thin behind, and at the upper and 

 inner part, where it covers the Adductor 

 muscles, and again becomes stronger around 

 the knee, receiving fibrous expansions from 

 the tendon of the Biceps externally, and 

 from the Sartorius, Gracilis, Semitendinosus, 

 and Quadriceps Extensor Cruris in front. 

 The fascia lata is attached, above, to Pou- 

 part's ligament, and the crest of the ilium; 

 behind, to the margin of the sacrum and 

 coccyx; internally, to the pubic arch, and 

 pectineal line ; and below, to all the promi- 

 nent points around the knee-joint, the con- 

 dyles of the femur, tuberosities of the tibia, 

 and head of the fibula. That portion which 

 invests the Gluteus Medius (the gluteal apo- 

 neurosis) is very thick and strong, and gives 

 origin, by its inner surface, to some of the 

 fibres of that muscle ; at the upper border 

 of the Gluteus Maximus, it divides into two 

 layers, the upper of which, very thin, covers 

 the surface of the Gluteus Maximus, and is 

 continuous below with the fascia lata : the 

 deep layer is thick above, where it blends 

 with the great sacro-sciatic ligament, thin 

 below, where it separates the Gluteus Maxi- 

 mus from the deeper muscles. From the 

 inner surface of the fascia lata are given off 

 two strong intermuscular septa, which are 

 attached to the whole length of the linea 

 aspera; the external and stronger one, which 

 extends from the insertion of the Gluteus 

 Maximus to the outer condyle, separates the 

 Vastus Externus in front from the short head 

 of the Biceps behind, and gives partial origin 

 to those muscles; the inner one, the thinner 

 of the two, separates the. Vastus Internus 

 from the Adductor muscles. Besides these, 

 there are numerous smaller septa, separating 

 the individual muscles, and inclosing each 

 in a distinct sheath. At the upper and inner 

 part of the thigh, a little below Poupart's 

 ligament, a large oval-shaped aperture is 

 observed after the superficial fascia has been 

 cleared off: it transmits the internal saphe- 

 nous vein, and other smaller vessels, and is 

 termed the saphenous opening. In order more 

 correctly to consider the mode of formation 

 of this aperture, the fascia lata is described 

 as consisting, in this part of the thigh, of 

 two portions, an iliac portion, and a pubic 

 portion. 



