564 A MANUAL OF ANATOMY. 



Insertion. Into the front of the tibia just internal to the 

 tubercle by an inverted J -shaped tendon, the curve of the 

 J hooking over the tendons of the gracilis and semitendino- 

 sus muscles. Also, into the deep fascia over the lower 

 part of the knee-joint and upper part of the leg. 



Nerve Supply. The anterior crural, through its middle 

 cutaneous branch, which pierces the muscle at its upper and 

 middle thirds. 



Actions. To flex the thigh on the abdomen, to flex the 

 leg on the thigh, to rotate the thigh outward, to rotate the 

 leg (when semiflexed) inward. It has a slight action of 

 abduction, but no action tending to cross (adduct) the 

 thighs. Acting from below it will flex the pelvis on the 

 femur, and slightly rotate it toward the opposite side. 



Tensor Vaginae Femoris. Figs. 117, 118. 



Origin. From the anterior one inch of the outer lip of 

 the crest of the ilium, the upper portion of the notch below, 

 and from the fascia covering the gluteus medius (a portion 

 of the fascia lata). 



Insertion. Into the inner surface of the fascia lata at its 

 upper fourth, and by the continuation of the fascia, under 

 the name of the iliotibial band, into the head of the fibula 

 and external tuberosity of the tibia. The muscle at its in- 

 sertion is found between two laminae of the fascia lata. An 

 external part of the fascial covering of the thigh, which 

 reaches up to the crest of the ilium ; and an internal layer, 

 which passes up to the anterior inferior spine of the ilium 

 and the tendons of the rectus muscle. 



Nerve Supply. The superior gluteal, which comes for- 

 ward between the gluteus medius and minimus, and enters 

 the posterior surface of the muscle. 



Action. To tense the fascia lata, to flex the thigh, to 



