Anatomical Cross-Sectional Areas and Volumes of the Muscles of the Lower Extremities

The maximum anatomical muscle cross-sectional areas and volumes of the muscles in the lower part of the body, thigh, and shank were measured by magnetic resonance imaging. The largest cross-sectional areas were 145.65 and 63 cm² in m. gluteus maximus and m. vastus, respectively, referred to as mm. adductors. In the thigh, m. vastus had the largest volume, 1505 ± 271 cm³, and in the shank, m. soleus had the largest volume, 552 ± 64 cm³. Close correlations (0.50 < R < 0.75) between the maximum areas of the lower extremity muscles were evidence for a certain relationship between the muscle cross-sections. A multiple regression equation was formulated to calculate the maximum anatomical cross-sectional areas and volumes in the muscles of the lower extremities with respect to some anthropometric parameters.