Fascia lata: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 17:30, 18 February 2025

Fascia Lata[edit]

The fascia lata is a deep fascial layer of the thigh that plays a crucial role in the structure and function of the lower limb. It is a dense connective tissue that envelops the muscles of the thigh, providing support and compartmentalization.

Anatomy of the fascia lata, showing its relationship to the muscles of the thigh.

Anatomy[edit]

The fascia lata is a thick, fibrous sheath that encircles the thigh. It is continuous with the inguinal ligament superiorly and the knee joint inferiorly. Laterally, it is thickened to form the iliotibial tract, which extends from the iliac crest to the lateral condyle of the tibia.

Layers[edit]

The fascia lata consists of two layers:

Superficial layer: This layer is continuous with the superficial fascia of the abdomen and contains cutaneous nerves and superficial vessels.
Deep layer: This layer is more robust and provides a strong, supportive structure for the muscles of the thigh.

Compartments[edit]

The fascia lata divides the thigh into three compartments:

Anterior compartment: Contains the quadriceps femoris muscle group, which is responsible for knee extension.
Medial compartment: Contains the adductor muscles of the thigh, which are involved in hip adduction.
Posterior compartment: Contains the hamstring muscles, which are responsible for knee flexion and hip extension.

Function[edit]

The fascia lata serves several important functions:

Support: It provides a supportive framework for the muscles of the thigh, allowing them to function efficiently.
Compartmentalization: By dividing the thigh into compartments, it helps to contain and direct the spread of infections or hemorrhage.
Force transmission: The iliotibial tract, a thickened portion of the fascia lata, plays a role in stabilizing the knee during walking and running by transmitting forces from the hip to the tibia.

Clinical Significance[edit]

The fascia lata is involved in several clinical conditions:

Iliotibial band syndrome: A common overuse injury in runners, caused by inflammation of the iliotibial tract.
Compartment syndrome: Increased pressure within the compartments of the thigh can lead to muscle and nerve damage.
Fasciotomy: A surgical procedure to relieve pressure in the compartments of the thigh, often performed in cases of acute compartment syndrome.

Related Pages[edit]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''Fascia lata''' is a layer of [[fibrous tissue]] that envelops the [[human body]] in a three-dimensional web from head to toe. It is a type of [[connective tissue]] that surrounds muscles, groups of muscles, blood vessels, and nerves, binding some structures together, while permitting others to slide smoothly over each other.
+== Fascia Lata ==
+The '''fascia lata''' is a deep fascial layer of the [[thigh]] that plays a crucial role in the structure and function of the lower limb. It is a dense connective tissue that envelops the muscles of the thigh, providing support and compartmentalization.
+[[File:Gray430.png|thumb|right|Anatomy of the fascia lata, showing its relationship to the muscles of the thigh.]]
 == Anatomy ==
-The fascia lata is the deep fascia of the [[thigh]]. It encloses the thigh muscles and forms the outer limit of the [[fascial compartments of thigh]], which are internally separated by intermuscular septa. The fascia lata is thickened at its lateral side where it forms the [[iliotibial tract]], a structure that runs to the [[tibia]] and helps to stabilize the [[hip]] and [[knee]].
+The fascia lata is a thick, fibrous sheath that encircles the thigh. It is continuous with the [[inguinal ligament]] superiorly and the [[knee joint]] inferiorly. Laterally, it is thickened to form the [[iliotibial tract]], which extends from the [[iliac crest]] to the lateral condyle of the [[tibia]].
+=== Layers ===
+The fascia lata consists of two layers:
+* '''Superficial layer''': This layer is continuous with the superficial fascia of the [[abdomen]] and contains cutaneous nerves and superficial vessels.
+* '''Deep layer''': This layer is more robust and provides a strong, supportive structure for the muscles of the thigh.
+=== Compartments ===
+The fascia lata divides the thigh into three compartments:
+* '''Anterior compartment''': Contains the [[quadriceps femoris]] muscle group, which is responsible for knee extension.
+* '''Medial compartment''': Contains the [[adductor muscles]] of the thigh, which are involved in hip adduction.
+* '''Posterior compartment''': Contains the [[hamstring muscles]], which are responsible for knee flexion and hip extension.
 == Function ==
-The fascia lata plays a crucial role in lower limb movements. It provides a division of the thigh into compartments that have different functions and muscles. The fascia lata also provides a surface for muscle attachment, helps in the distribution of forces produced by the muscles, and provides a passive tension to assist in the function of muscles.
+The fascia lata serves several important functions:
+* '''Support''': It provides a supportive framework for the muscles of the thigh, allowing them to function efficiently.
+* '''Compartmentalization''': By dividing the thigh into compartments, it helps to contain and direct the spread of infections or hemorrhage.
+* '''Force transmission''': The iliotibial tract, a thickened portion of the fascia lata, plays a role in stabilizing the knee during walking and running by transmitting forces from the hip to the tibia.
+== Clinical Significance ==
-== Clinical significance ==
+The fascia lata is involved in several clinical conditions:
-In medicine, a piece of fascia lata can be used in [[reconstructive surgery]]. It can be harvested as a free graft, or as a pedicled graft (still attached to the body at one end), for example in [[fascia lata graft surgery]]. It is used in a variety of surgical procedures, including [[hernia repair]], [[breast reconstruction]], and [[cranial cruciate ligament reconstruction]] in the knee.
+* '''Iliotibial band syndrome''': A common overuse injury in runners, caused by inflammation of the iliotibial tract.
+* '''Compartment syndrome''': Increased pressure within the compartments of the thigh can lead to muscle and nerve damage.
+* '''Fasciotomy''': A surgical procedure to relieve pressure in the compartments of the thigh, often performed in cases of acute compartment syndrome.
+== Related Pages ==
-== See also ==
-* [[Fascia]]
 * [[Iliotibial tract]]
-* [[Fascial compartments of thigh]]
+* [[Quadriceps femoris]]
+* [[Hamstring muscles]]
-== References ==
+* [[Adductor muscles]]
-<references />
+* [[Compartment syndrome]]
-[[Category:Anatomy]]
+[[Category:Anatomy of the lower limb]]
-[[Category:Connective tissue]]
-[[Category:Surgical procedures and techniques]]
-{{anatomy-stub}}
-<gallery>
-File:Fascia_lata Gray542.png|Description of Fascia_lata Gray542.png
-File:Gray545.png|Description of Gray545.png
-</gallery>