Muscles of the Crus

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This image is a medial view of the crus, so the paw is up and left is still cranial.

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The muscle on the cranial aspect of the tibia is still the cranial tibial muscle (A). We can still see a portion of the superficial digital flexor muscle (B) peaking out from under the cover of the medial belly of the gastrocnemius muscle (C). The deep digital flexor muscle (D) is up against the caudal aspect of the tibia; but closer to the stifle (E), we see a muscle which is originating from the lateral condyle of the femur and is fanning out to attach on the medial upper third of the tibia. This is the popliteus muscle (F).

We did not see it in the earlier image, but this image shows well the two heads of the semimembranosis muscle (G). Can you see how the cranial head (G1) may extend the stifle, whereas the caudal head (G2) would flex the stifle (E)? Another extensor of the hip and flexor of the stifle is the semitendinosis (H).