Your leg relies on a complicated interworking of muscles to provide strength and mobility for your body. One such muscle in the thigh is known as the sartorius muscle. The longest muscle in the body, the sartorius muscle helps you to engage in a number of activities that involve moving the leg forward and outward, according to Inner Body.
History
The sartorius muscle comes from the Latin word for mender, according to Britannica Online Encyclopedia. This is appropriate because the sartorius muscle allows you to cross one leg over the other in a seated position, a position that ancient tailors used while performing their work.
Identification
Your sartorius muscle is a ribbon-like structure that connects from the iliac, or pelvic girdle, region extending around the front of your thigh and connecting to the inner portion of the knee, according to Inner Body.
Knee Flexion
The sartorius muscle is required for you to flex your leg to move your knee, according to Get Body Smart. In addition to using this muscle for walking, you rely on the Sartorius muscle to flex when you are seated and cross your legs over each other, placing a heel toward each knee, according to Inner Body.
Outward Rotation
The sartorius muscle allows you to rotate the thigh outward, according to Britannica Online Encyclopedia. This makes the muscle especially developed for dancers, soccer players and martial artists, who rely on the Sartorius and other muscles to lift and control the leg.
Injury
A pulled sartorius muscle also is known as a pulled groin muscle. This can involve the other hip flexor muscles, including iliopsoas, rectus femoris and tensor fascia latae, according to Sports MD. This occurs when the sartorius muscle becomes stretched beyond its limits or too much strain is placed on the muscle. The injury is most common in skiers, soccer players and dancers. The injury is typified by a feeling of tightness in the hips. The muscle also can tear or rupture, which can cause pain and deformity. In order to prevent this type of injury, warming up the muscles prior to engaging in exercise is very important.
