QUADRICEPS

Any four-headed muscle but usually refers to the quadriceps muscle of the thigh, the large muscle that comes down the femur (the bone of the upper leg), over the patella (the kneecap) and anchors into the top of the tibia (the big bone in the lower leg). The function of the quadriceps is to straighten out (extend) the leg. For those who are into Latin, this muscle's name is musculus quadriceps femoris. For those who prefer nicknames, it is the quad.