Composite muscle

Examples

• Brachialis: Musculocutaneous nerve is motor and radial nerve is proprioceptive.
• Adductor magnus : Its adductor part by posterior division of obturator nerve and hamstring part by tibial part of sciatic nerve.
• Biceps femoris: Its long head is supplied by the tibial part of sciatic nerve, whereas the short head is supplied by the common peroneal nerve. This reflects the composite derivation from the flexor and extensor musculature.
• Pectineus: Its anterior set of fibers are supplied by the femoral nerve, whereas posterior set of fibers are supplied by the obturator nerve.
• Flexor digitorum profundus: Its radial half of is supplied by the median nerve and the ulnar half is supplied by the ulnar nerve.
• Trapezius: Its motor fibres are supplied by the spinal accessory nerve and proprioception is carried by C3 and C4 dorsal rami.
• Iliopsoas: It is a composite muscle performing flexion at the hip.
• The tongue is a composite muscle made up of various components like longitudinal, transverse, horizontal muscles with different parts innervated having different nerve supply.
• Digastric muscle: Its anterior belly is supplied by nerve to mylohyoid. The posterior belly is supplied by the facial nerve.

  Commonly confused

• Rectus femoris
• Omohyoid
• Occipitofrontalis
• Ligament of Trietz