11. Sartorius

Origin: Anterior superior iliac spine

Insertion: Medial superior surface of the tibia (part of the pes anserine group)

Action:

  • Flexes the hip
  • Abducts the hip
  • Lateral rotation of the hip
  • Flexes the knee

Innervation: Femoral nerve (L2/3)

Sartorius muscle.
Figure 3.29 Sartorius, adapted by Michael Gasperl from the original image by Henry Gray and Henry Vandyke Carter (Public domain).
Figure 3.30 Femoral neurovascular bundle (femoral artery, nerve and vein), by Henry Gray and Henry Vandyke Carter (Public domain).

Needling

Position: Supine

Palpation: Resist hip flexion, abduction, and lateral rotation as well as knee flexion to isolate this muscle – Palpate along the front of the thigh in a diagonal direction from the anterior superior iliac spine to the medial aspect of the knee

Technique: Needle perpendicular to this muscle using the femur as a bony backdrop

Caution: Moderate – this muscle crosses the femoral artery as it enters the adductor cannel (specifically the middle 1/3 of this muscle)

Needling sartorius.
Figure 3.31 Needling sartorius, original image by Nadine Crocker, CC BY-NC 4.0.

Video 3.11 Needling sartorius, original video by Nadine Crocker, CC BY-NC 4.0.

License

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Sinew Channel Needling Copyright © 2026 by Nadine Crocker is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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