THE GLUTEUS MAXIMUS. 



113 



the periiieal space, and in the rest of its extent lies obliquely across 

 the back of the thigh. The hamstring muscles and the sciatic 

 vessels and nerves issue beneath it. 



Action. With the femur hanging the muscle extends the hip-joint use on 

 by pulling back that bone. The upper part abducts, but the part 

 inserted into the femur adducts the limb and rotates it outwards. 



When the limb is fixed, and the body is raised from a sitting on pelvis, 

 into a standing posture, the glutens acts as an extensor of the 

 articulation by moving back the pelvis ; and in standing on one 



Obliquus abdominis internus. 



lutissimiis dor.si. 



Obliquus abdominis externus. 

 Tensor fasciae femoris. 



Sartorius. 



Straight head > Rectus 

 Reflected head f femoris. 

 Pectineus. 



Pyrifonnis. 

 Gemellus superior. 

 Gemellus inferior. 



Seminiembranosus. 

 Semitendinosus and biceps. 



Adductor longus. 



Quadratus femoris. 

 Adductor magnus. 



Gracilis. 



Adductor brevis. 



FIG. 47. Os IXXOMISATUM : OUTER AND POSTERIOR VIEW. 



leg, the muscle can draw the sacrum towards the femur, so as to 

 turn the face to the opposite side. 



By tightening the ilio-tibial band (which is attached, below, to and on knee, 

 the front of the outer tuberosity of the tibia, to the outer side of 

 the patella and to the fascia over the muscles of the front of the 

 leg), the glutens maximus also supports and steadies the knee- 

 joint in the extended position. In this action it is assisted by the 

 tensor fasciae femoris, which corrects the tendency of the glutens 

 to draw the ilio-tibial band backwards. 



Dissection (fig. 48). The gluteus maximus is to be cut across Divide the 

 a little external to the middle ; and the depth of the muscle will 



D.A. I 



