What are the muscles at the back of the thigh called?

What are the muscles at the back of the thigh called?

• A. Quadriceps
• B. Hamstrings
• C. Gastrocnemius
• D. Abductors

Answer: (B)

The back of the thigh is where the hamstrings reside, a group of muscles that cross both the hip and knee joints. They include the biceps femoris (long head and short head) and the semitendinosus and semimembranosus. Their main job is to bend the knee and help extend the hip, so they function as knee flexors and hip extensors. This is why they’re distinct from other thigh muscles: the quadriceps are on the front of the thigh and extend the knee; the gastrocnemius is a calf muscle that mainly helps with plantarflexing the foot but crosses the knee too; and the abductors are on the outer (lateral) thigh and move the leg away from the midline. So, the muscles at the back of the thigh are the hamstrings.

The back of the thigh is where the hamstrings reside, a group of muscles that cross both the hip and knee joints. They include the biceps femoris (long head and short head) and the semitendinosus and semimembranosus. Their main job is to bend the knee and help extend the hip, so they function as knee flexors and hip extensors. This is why they’re distinct from other thigh muscles: the quadriceps are on the front of the thigh and extend the knee; the gastrocnemius is a calf muscle that mainly helps with plantarflexing the foot but crosses the knee too; and the abductors are on the outer (lateral) thigh and move the leg away from the midline. So, the muscles at the back of the thigh are the hamstrings.