The vastus medialis is one of the muscles that makes up the quadriceps femoris, and is contained in the anterior compartment of the thigh. It is responsible for the tear-drop shape that is visible on the medial aspect of the thigh in trained athletes and footballers – just watch the world cup and see for yourself!

The four muscles that make up the quadriceps femoris are the:

-         Rectus femoris

-         Vastus lateralis

-         Vastus medialis

-         Vastus intermedius

Learn more about the muscles of the anterior compartment in this tutorial.

Click here to visualise and interact with these muscles.