What Is Vastus Lateralis

This lesson will discuss muscle pain and tears in the vastus lateralis including symptoms and treatment.

What is vastus lateralis.

Vastus lateralis also known as vastus externus is the largest and most powerful of the quadriceps muscles found on the lateral outer side of the front of the thigh. The vastus laterails works with the other quad muscles to help extend your knee joint. They provide power for and absorb the impact of daily activities such as walking running and jumping. They may also cause the stuck patella or locked knee cap conditions in which the knee cap fails to track up and down naturally during movements of the knee.

It is the most medial of the vastus group of muscles. Rectus femoris vastus intermedius and vastus medialis together the quadriceps act on the knee and hip to promote movement as well as strength and stability. The vastus lateralis muscle is located on the side of the thigh. This muscle is the largest of the quadriceps group often called quads which also includes the rectus femoris the vastus.

The vastus lateralis is one of the four muscles located in the quadriceps muscles. It also is active in maintaining thigh and kneecap position while walking and. The muscle is one of the four quadriceps muscles and is the largest muscle of that group. The vastus lateralis ˈ v æ s t ə s ˌ l æ t ə ˈ r eɪ l ɪ s ˈ r æ also called the vastus externus citation needed is the largest and most powerful part of the quadriceps femoris a muscle in the thigh together with other muscles of the quadriceps group it serves to extend the knee joint moving the lower leg forward.

It arises from a series of flat broad tendons. The vastus lateralis trigger points refer pain to the outside of the thigh knee and upper lower leg. Location it originates from various parts of the femur thigh bone over a large area as listed above. The vastus medialis is a muscle present in the anterior compartment of thigh and is one of the four muscles that make up the quadriceps muscle.

Vastus lateralis origin and insertion. This muscle is the largest of the quadriceps which includes. Typically people who need to self administer injections use the vastus lateralis muscle in the thigh. The primary function of the vastus lateralis is the same as the other muscles of the quadriceps to extend the knee.

To locate the correct spot imagine dividing the thigh vertically into three equal parts. The vastus lateralis is a muscle located on the lateral or outside part of your thigh.