What is the sartorius?
It is called the sartorius. Gray's Anatomy (1918) describes it as a long, strap-like muscle — the longest muscle in the human body.
What it is
- A long, strap-like muscle — the longest muscle in the human body.
- Named from the Latin for 'tailor', after the cross-legged posture it produces.
- Bends the hip and knee and rotates the thigh outward.
Where it is
- Runs diagonally across the front of the thigh.
- Arises from the anterior superior iliac spine.
- Inserts on the inner surface of the tibia.
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Last verified: 2026-07-18
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