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Biceps femorisMusculus biceps femoris

Two-headed hamstring muscle on the outer back of the thigh that bends the knee, and with its long head also extends the hip.

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LatinMusculus biceps femoris
Origin
  • Long head: ischial tuberosity (shared tendon with semitendinosus) and lower part of the sacrotuberous ligament
  • Short head: outer lip of the linea aspera, the lateral supracondylar line and the lateral intermuscular septum of the femur
Insertion
  • Outer side of the head of the fibula
  • Small slip to the lateral condyle of the tibia
Action
  • Both heads: flex the knee
  • Both heads: laterally rotate the leg when the knee is bent
  • Long head: extends the hip
NerveLong head: tibial part of the sciatic nerve; short head: common fibular part of the sciatic nerve (L5–S1)
GroupHamstrings
NameLatin biceps, 'two-headed', and femoris, 'of the femur'.

Palpation

  1. Client prone with a bolster under the ankles; stand beside the thigh.
  2. Place your fingers on the outer back corner of the knee and find the thick, cord-like tendon running to the head of the fibula.
  3. Follow the tendon up into the muscle belly along the outer back of the thigh towards the ischial tuberosity.
  4. Ask the client to bend the knee against light resistance while turning the foot outwards; the tendon and belly firm up.

Landmarks: Ischial tuberosity

Biceps femoris is the outer (lateral) hamstring. Its tendon is the cord you feel on the outside of the back of the knee, and the common fibular nerve runs along the inner edge of that tendon just behind the head of the fibula. Use broad, gentle pressure there and avoid pressing into the tendon with your thumbs.

The long head belongs with the other Hamstrings: it starts on the Ischial tuberosity with Semitendinosus and crosses both the hip and the knee. The short head starts on the femur and only bends the knee, which is why some books leave it out of the hamstring group.

To tell biceps femoris from the inner hamstrings, bend the client’s knee to about 90° and ask them to turn the foot outwards against light resistance. The outer tendon tightens; turning the foot inwards tightens the inner tendons instead. Higher up the thigh, a groove separates biceps femoris from Vastus lateralis.

Techniques

  • Effleurage — Long, gliding strokes with the whole palm that spread the medium, warm the tissue and link the other strokes together.
  • Petrissage — Kneading strokes that compress, lift and squeeze the muscle away from the bone, working the tissue between the hands.
  • Wringing — A petrissage stroke where the hands lift the tissue and push and pull it across the body in opposite directions, like wringing out a towel.
  • Compression — Pressing straight down into a muscle with the palm, fist or forearm, holding briefly, then releasing and moving on.
  • Passive stretching — The therapist gently moves a relaxed limb to lengthen a muscle to a point of mild stretch and holds it there, with no effort from the client.

Works with

  • Semitendinosus — Inner hamstring muscle with a long, cord-like lower tendon that bends the knee, extends the hip and turns the leg inwards.
  • Semimembranosus — Broad, flat inner hamstring muscle lying under semitendinosus that bends the knee, extends the hip and turns the leg inwards.
  • Gluteus maximus — The largest and most superficial buttock muscle, and the main extensor of the hip.
  • Gastrocnemius — Two-headed superficial calf muscle that runs from above the knee to the heel and points the foot and helps bend the knee.

Opposes

  • Quadriceps — Group of four large muscles on the front of the thigh that join into one tendon over the kneecap and are the only muscles that straighten the knee.
  • Rectus femoris — Spindle-shaped muscle down the middle of the front of the thigh, the only quadriceps muscle that crosses the hip, so it both flexes the hip and straightens the knee.

Same group

  • Semimembranosus — Broad, flat inner hamstring muscle lying under semitendinosus that bends the knee, extends the hip and turns the leg inwards.
  • Semitendinosus — Inner hamstring muscle with a long, cord-like lower tendon that bends the knee, extends the hip and turns the leg inwards.

Used in routines

Sources

  1. Wikipedia: Biceps femoris muscle
  2. Wikipedia: Hamstring