legs

(noun)

The sides adjacent to the right angle in a right triangle.

Related Terms

Examples of legs in the following topics:

  • Varicose Veins

    • Varicose veins are those that have become enlarged and tortuous, commonly affecting the legs .
    • The muscles of the leg pump the veins to return blood to the heart against the effects of gravity.
    • Other related factors are pregnancy, obesity, menopause, aging, prolonged standing, leg injury, abdominal straining, and crossing legs at the knees or ankles.
    • Because most of the blood in the legs is returned by the deep veins, the superficial veins, which return only about 10 per cent of the total blood of the legs, can usually be removed without serious harm.
    • The middle image shows where varicose veins might appear in a leg.

  • Tibia and Fibula (The Leg)

    • The tibia and the smaller fibula bones comprise the lower leg and articulate at the knee and ankle.
    • The tibia and fibula are the two bones of the lower leg.
    • The tibia, or shin bone, spans the lower leg, articulating proximally with the femur and patella at the knee joint, and distally with the tarsal bones, to form the ankle joint.
    • It is the major weight-bearing bone of the lower leg.
    • The fibula also spans the lower leg, although proximally it does not articulate with the femur or patella.

  • Muscles that Cause Movement at the Ankle

    • Muscles of the leg insert into ankle and foot bones to facilitate ankle movement.
    • Functionally, it acts as a hinge, allowing dorsiflexion (pulling the foot upwards towards the lower leg) and plantarflexion (pulling the foot downwards away from the lower leg).
    • The superficial muscles give rise to the characteristic shape of the lower leg.
    • Dorsiflexion of the Foot (pulling the foot upwards towards the leg)
    • Plantarflexion of the Foot (pulling the foot downwards away from the lower leg)

  • Subphyla of Arthropoda

    • The thorax bears the wings as well as six legs in three pairs.
    • Subphylum Myriapoda includes arthropods with numerous legs.
    • Although the name is hyperbolic in suggesting that myriad legs are present in these invertebrates, the number of legs may vary from 10 to 750.
    • Millipedes have visibly more numbers of legs as compared to centipedes, although they do not bear a thousand legs.
    • Most crustaceans are decapods, having ten legs.

  • Veins of the Lower Limbs

    • The deep veins of the leg accompany the arteries and their branches and possess numerous valves that aid in unidirectional blood flow.
    • Additionally the musculature of the leg is key in generating pressure in the veins, preventing pooling.
    • Running the full length of the leg, making it the longest vein in the body, the great saphenous vein is a large superficial vein which returns blood from the foot and superficial muscles of the leg before merging with the femoral vein to form the external iliac vein.

  • Muscles that Cause Movement at the Knee Joint

    • The knee joint allows for movement of the lower leg relative to the thigh across the knee joint.
    • The popliteus muscle, located in the lower leg, is responsible for “unlocking” the knee joint after extension.
    • Actions: Extends the lower leg at the knee joint and stabilizes the patella.
    • Actions: Extends and laterally rotates at the hip, main action is flexing of the lower leg at the knee.
    • Posterior view of muscles of the lower leg, the popliteus can be seen at the top located behind the knee.

  • Overview of the Appendicular Skeleton

    • The unfused appendicular skeleton is composed of the appendages (legs and arms) and their supporting girdles, totaling 126 bones.
    • Thigh and leg (eight bones) - The thigh and leg consist of the femur (two bones that comprise the thighs), Tibia (two bones), Patella (two bones that are the knees), and Fibula (two bones).
    • Human leg bones are labeled here.

  • Sculpture in the Greek Geometric Period

    • Their arms are cylindrical, and only their legs have a slightly more naturalistic shape.
    • Especially noteworthy are his elongated arms, which mirror the dimensions of his legs.
    • Relatively naturalistic rendering of human legs is also evident in Man and Centaur, also known as Heracles and Nessos (c. 750-730 BCE).
    • Without the equine back and hind legs, the centaur portion of the sculpture is a shorter man with human legs.
    • Equine bodies may be described as rectangles pinched in the middle with rectangular legs and tail and are similar in shape to deer or bulls.

  • The Appendicular Skeleton

    • The appendicular skeleton of vertebrates, including humans, consists of the bones that support and compose the appendages (for example, the arms and legs of humans).
    • Femur (2) (thigh), patella (2) (knee), tibia (2) and fibula (2) (leg)
    • The lower limb contains 30 bones and is divided into three regions, the thigh, leg, and foot.
    • The tibia is located on the medial side of the leg, and the fibula is the thin bone of the lateral leg.

  • Arteries of the Pelvis and Lower Limbs

    • The abdominal aorta divides into the major arteries of the leg: the femoral, popliteal, tibial, dorsal foot, plantar, and fibular arteries.
    • The anterior trunk gives rise to numerous arteries which supply the organs of the pelvis and the gluteal and adductor muscles of the leg.