Sartorius tendon !
The sartorius tendon is the flat, outermost of three tendons that join on the inner shin bone below the knee (the pes anserinus).
Official name: Tendon of sartorius
Opens in the Durgical app, no sign-up needed.
What it is
The tendon of the sartorius, one of three tendons that join on the inner tibia (the pes anserinus).
What it does
Helps bend the knee and steady its inner side.
Key facts
- Attaches
- Broad aponeurosis to the upper medial surface of the tibia, the most anterior and superficial of the pes anserinus (in front of gracilis and semitendinosus)
- Function
- Knee flexion and medial rotation of the leg; dynamic support of the medial knee; the pes anserine bursa lies beneath
- Tight in
- Hip extension and adduction with the knee extended
Relations
- Course
- Passes behind the medial femoral condyle, then turns forward and spreads into a thin aponeurosis on the upper medial tibia, medial to the tibial tuberosity
- Deep
- Gracilis and semitendinosus tendons, the pes anserine bursa and the superficial MCL
- Superficial
- Crural fascia (the first layer of the medial knee) and skin; the great saphenous vein runs in the fat nearby
- Behind
- Gracilis tendon; the saphenous nerve becomes subcutaneous between the two
How to find it
The pes anserinus is felt on the upper inner tibia, medial to the tibial tuberosity and below the joint line; the sartorius part is its front, flat edge and is hard to separate from the deeper tendons by touch.
On imaging
On ultrasound the sartorius aponeurosis is a thin band over the round gracilis and semitendinosus tendons; an inflamed pes anserine bursa shows as fluid beneath them, superficial to the MCL.
Clinical notes
- Pes anserine tendinopathy and bursitis cause pain on the upper inner tibia, often with knee osteoarthritis, and can mimic a medial meniscal tear
- For hamstring graft harvest the sartorius fascia is opened to reach the gracilis and semitendinosus underneath
- The pes anserinus was once transferred forward to resist rotatory instability of the knee, a procedure now mostly historical
Memory aid
Pes anserinus from front to back, the 'SGT' (sergeant): Sartorius, Gracilis, semiTendinosus.
Test yourself
Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.
What is the order of the pes anserinus tendons from front to back?
Sartorius, gracilis, semitendinosus ('SGT'); the sartorius aponeurosis is the most anterior and superficial.
What separates the pes anserinus tendons from the superficial MCL?
The pes anserine bursa.
Which nerve can be cut near the sartorius tendon in medial knee incisions, and with what result?
The infrapatellar branch of the saphenous nerve, leaving numbness below the patella.
Educational information, not medical advice. For any symptom, see a health professional.
Its names
- Official Latin (TA2)
- musculus sartorius TA2 2610
- Official Spanish (DeCS)
- Tendón del sartorio DeCS D013710
- English (TA2)
- Tendon of sartorius
Related
Sources: Terminologia Anatomica (TA2); DeCS; Anatomy, Bony Pelvis and Lower Limb: Thigh Sartorius Muscle.
Spotted a mistake?We are always improving for the community. Tell us what is wrong and our team will review it.Report a mistake
Representative model, for educational purposes only.
