Sacrotuberous ligament

Authors

Affiliations

Nate Yomogida, B.S., SPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy

B.S. in Kinesiology

Chloë Kerstein, B.S., SPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy

B.A. in Neuroscience

Glute max partly originates from this ligament

Myofascial unit

The sacrotuberous lig. plays a dual role. The deeper fibers attach bone-to-bone and stabilize the SIJ. The superficial fibers are important in creating myofascial lines¹.

If there is too much movement in the deeper fibers this would be considered a lax ligament and result in SIJ instability¹. Too little movement in the superficial region will result in rigidity and immobility in the myofascial lines, reducing the body’s resilience in movement¹. # Muscular Attachment

Muscles originating from the Sacrotuberous ligament
Muscle	Origin	Insertion	Innervation	Action
Biceps femoris long head	Ischial tuberosity² Sacrotuberous lig.² (Common head with semitendinosus)² [Ischial tuberosity](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Thigh Muscles/Posterior Thigh Muscles/biceps_femoris_long_head.qmd#origin) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020] [Sacrotuberous lig.](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Thigh Muscles/Posterior Thigh Muscles/biceps_femoris_long_head.qmd#origin) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020] [(Common head with semitendinosus)](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Thigh Muscles/Posterior Thigh Muscles/biceps_femoris_long_head.qmd#origin) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020]	Fibular head² [Fibular head](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Thigh Muscles/Posterior Thigh Muscles/biceps_femoris_long_head.qmd#insertion) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020]	Tibial n.² L5 - S2² [Tibial n.](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Thigh Muscles/Posterior Thigh Muscles/biceps_femoris_long_head.qmd#nerve) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020] [L5](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Thigh Muscles/Posterior Thigh Muscles/biceps_femoris_long_head.qmd#nerve) - [S2](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Thigh Muscles/Posterior Thigh Muscles/biceps_femoris_long_head.qmd#nerve) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020]	Hip [Extension](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Thigh Muscles/Posterior Thigh Muscles/biceps_femoris_long_head.qmd#action) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020] Knee [Flexion](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Thigh Muscles/Posterior Thigh Muscles/biceps_femoris_long_head.qmd#action) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020] [ER](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Thigh Muscles/Posterior Thigh Muscles/biceps_femoris_long_head.qmd#action) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020] Pelvis [Sagittal stabilization](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Thigh Muscles/Posterior Thigh Muscles/biceps_femoris_long_head.qmd#action) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020]
Gluteus Maximus	Sacrum (dorsal surface, lateral part)² Ilium (gluteal surface, posterior part)² Thoracolumbar fascia² sacrotuberous lig.² [Sacrum (dorsal surface, lateral part)](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Gluteal Muscles/gluteus_maximus_muscle.qmd#origin) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020] [Ilium (gluteal surface, posterior part)](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Gluteal Muscles/gluteus_maximus_muscle.qmd#origin) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020] [Thoracolumbar fascia](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Gluteal Muscles/gluteus_maximus_muscle.qmd#origin) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020] [sacrotuberous lig.](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Gluteal Muscles/gluteus_maximus_muscle.qmd#origin) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020]	IT Band² Gluteal tuberosity² [IT Band](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Gluteal Muscles/gluteus_maximus_muscle.qmd#insertion) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020] [Gluteal tuberosity](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Gluteal Muscles/gluteus_maximus_muscle.qmd#insertion) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020]	Inferior gluteal n.² L5 - S2² [Inferior gluteal n.](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Gluteal Muscles/gluteus_maximus_muscle.qmd#nerve) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020] [L5](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Gluteal Muscles/gluteus_maximus_muscle.qmd#nerve) - [S2](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Gluteal Muscles/gluteus_maximus_muscle.qmd#nerve) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020]	Entire mm. [Extension](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Gluteal Muscles/gluteus_maximus_muscle.qmd#action) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020] [ER (when <60° HF)](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Gluteal Muscles/gluteus_maximus_muscle.qmd#action) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020; @neumannKinesiologyMusculoskeletalSystem2017] Lower fibers [Adduction](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Gluteal Muscles/gluteus_maximus_muscle.qmd#action) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020] Upper fibers [Abduction](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Gluteal Muscles/gluteus_maximus_muscle.qmd#action) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020] IR (when &gt60° HF) [@neumannKinesiologyMusculoskeletalSystem2017]
Semitendinosus	Ischial tuberosity² Sacrotuberous lig.² (common head with biceps femoris long head)² [Ischial tuberosity](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Thigh Muscles/Posterior Thigh Muscles/semitendinosus.qmd#origin) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020] [Sacrotuberous lig.](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Thigh Muscles/Posterior Thigh Muscles/semitendinosus.qmd#origin) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020] [(common head with biceps femoris long head)](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Thigh Muscles/Posterior Thigh Muscles/semitendinosus.qmd#origin) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020]	Pes anserine² [Pes anserine](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Thigh Muscles/Posterior Thigh Muscles/semitendinosus.qmd#insertion) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020]	Tibial n.² L5 - S2² [Tibial n.](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Thigh Muscles/Posterior Thigh Muscles/semitendinosus.qmd#nerve) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020] [L5](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Thigh Muscles/Posterior Thigh Muscles/semitendinosus.qmd#nerve) - [S2](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Thigh Muscles/Posterior Thigh Muscles/semitendinosus.qmd#nerve) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020]	Hip [Extension](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Thigh Muscles/Posterior Thigh Muscles/semitendinosus.qmd#action) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020] Knee [Flexion](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Thigh Muscles/Posterior Thigh Muscles/semitendinosus.qmd#action) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020] [IR](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Thigh Muscles/Posterior Thigh Muscles/semitendinosus.qmd#action) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020] Pelvis [Sagittal stabilization](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Thigh Muscles/Posterior Thigh Muscles/semitendinosus.qmd#action) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020]

Muscles Inserting onto the Sacrotuberous ligament
Muscle	Origin	Insertion	Innervation	Action

References

Myers TW. Anatomy Trains. 4th ed. Elsevier; 2021.

Gilroy AM, MacPherson BR, Wikenheiser JC, Voll MM, Wesker K, Schünke M, eds. Atlas of Anatomy. 4th ed. Thieme; 2020.

Citation

For attribution, please cite this work as:

Yomogida N, Kerstein C. Sacrotuberous ligament. https://yomokerst.com/The Archive/Anatomy/Ligaments/Lower Extremity/Hip Ligaments/sacrotuberous_ligament.html