Semitendinosus

General information

This muscle is situated at the base of the thigh. The muscle is just one of the hamstrings in the human body.

Literal meaning

Half stretch.

Interesting information

Athletes are one of the most common groups of people to sustain an injury to the semitendinosus muscle. Failure to stretch and warm-up properly attribute to strains and sprains of this muscle. When running, the hamstrings act eccentrically to slow the knee motion down. For those who have chronically tight hamstrings and fail to warm-up, expect an injury to occur to the muscle. Taking the time to properly prepare for the athletic competition will go a long way in preventing a pulled hamstring. Football players continue to be plagued by a pulled hamstring because they rush to get out onto the field.

Anyone who participates in an activity or sport where the legs are used extensively is prone to a pulled hamstring. Taking precautions ahead of time will prevent the injury from occurring in the first place.

Origin

Medial aspect for the superior part of the ischial tuberosity by a shared tendon of the biceps femoris.

Insertion

Medial shaft for the tibia located just distal out of the medial condyle.

Attached slightly distal to the gracilis and just posterior to the sar torius.

Function

Hip extension.

Knee flexion.

Semi-flexed knee medial rotator.

Nerve supply

Tibial nerve L5 and S1-S2.

Blood supply

Proximal to distal the muscles gets its blood from the obturator artery’s posterior branch.

Inferior gluteal artery.

Deep femoral artery’s perforating branches.

Popliteal artery’s direct muscular branches.

Popliteal artery’s inferior medial genicular branch.

Relevant research

Chronic patellar tendon ruptures are quite rare, but there has been little work within the area and the incidence is unknown. Management of neglected, chronic tendon ruptures address the following difficulties: reconstruction of the patellar tendon, proximally retracted patella and temporary protection of the repair. Through a presentation of a case involving chronic patellar tendon ruptures, the main advantages for reconstruction when in an isolated semitendinosus tendon autograft are described when in relation to an early rehabilitative perspective.

Nguene-Nyemb, A.G., Huten, D. & Ropars, M. (2011). “Chronic Patellar Tendon Rupture Reconstruction with a Semitendinosus Autograft.” Orthopaedics & Traumatology: Surgery & Research. Vol. 97, Is. 4, 447-450.

Semitendinosus exercises

Dumbbell lunge

Hold a dumbbell in either hand. Allow the arms to hang at the sides with the palms facing each other and feet parallel. Step forward with one leg while keeping the back straight. Bend the knee of the front leg to make a 90-degree angle. Once the front knee is bent, the back leg should be two to three inches from the floor. Return to the starting position by forcefully pushing up with the front leg. Switch legs and repeat the same movement. Continue the exercise by alternating legs until 10 repetitions have been completed. Longer strides forward place a greater emphasis on the semitendinosus and the remaining hamstrings in the muscle group.