Which is a muscle of the anterior thigh?

• A. Rectus abdominis
• B. Psoas major
• C. Quadriceps femoris
• D. Quadratus Labii Superioris

Answer: (C)

The front of the thigh is dominated by a large muscle group that forms the anterior compartment and is chiefly responsible for extending the knee. The quadriceps femoris fits this description perfectly: it’s a large muscle group located on the front of the thigh and functions to straighten the knee, with its tendons crossing the knee joint to attach to the patella and tibia. The other options come from other regions or functions—the rectus abdominis is an abdominal wall muscle, the psoas major is a hip flexor that rises from the lumbar spine and contributes to the iliopsoas, and the quadratus labii superioris is a facial muscle around the mouth. Hence, the muscle of the anterior thigh is the quadriceps femoris.