Vastus Medialis Oblique

Original Editor - Rafet Irmak

Top Contributors - Admin, Ananya Bunglae Sudindar, Rafet Irmak, George Prudden, Wendy Snyders, Richard Benes, Kim Jackson, Evan Thomas, WikiSysop and Claudia Karina  

Description

Vastus medialis is one of the four muscles that make up the quadriceps group of muscles. Proximally it arises from the upper part of the femoral shaft and distally its flattened tendon joins the quadriceps femoris tendon, and inserts into the upper border of the patella.

Origin

Lower part of the intertrochanteric line, along the spiral line to the medial lip of the linea aspera, the medial intermuscular septum and the aponeurosis of adductor magnus.

Insertion

Into the medial side of the quadriceps tendon, joining with rectus femoris and the other vasti muscles, enveloping the patella, then by the patellar ligament into the tibial tuberosity.

Nerve

A branch from the posterior division of the femoral nerve, derived from L2, 3 and 4, innervates vastus medialis.

Artery

Femoral artery, profunda femoris artery, and superior medial genicular branch of popliteal artery

Function

Increase mechanical advantage of knee joint to perform knee extension by other heads of quadriceps.

Clinical relevance

Increase mechanical advantage of knee joint to perform knee extention by other heads of quadriceps.

Assessment

Palpation

It can be palpated along its entire length. Distally, the quadriceps tendon can be palpated attaching to the proximal border (base) of the patella.

Resources

• Smith TO, Nichols R, Harle D, Donell ST. Do the vastus medialis obliquus and vastus medialis longus really exist? A systematic review. Clin Anat. 2009 Mar;22(2):183-99.

• Pattyn E, Verdonk P, Steyaert A, Vanden Bossche L, Van den Broecke W, Thijs Y, Witvrouw E. Vastus medialis obliquus atrophy: does it exist in patellofemoral pain syndrome? Am J Sports Med. 2011 Jul;39(7):1450-5. Epub 2011 Apr 12.

• Günal I, Araç S, Sahinoğlu K, Birvar K. The innervation of vastus medialis obliquus. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1992 Jul;74(4):624.  
  

• Holt G, Nunn T, Allen RA, Forrester AW, Gregori A. Variation of the vastus medialis obliquus insertion and its relevance to minimally invasive total knee arthroplasty. J Arthroplasty. 2008 Jun;23(4):600-4. Epub 2008 Mar 4.

• Lin YF, Lin JJ, Cheng CK, Lin DH, Jan MH. Association between sonographic morphology of vastus medialis obliquus and patellar alignment in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2008 Apr;38(4):196-202. Epub 2007 Nov 21