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Anatomy & Physiology: Lower Limb

via Coursera

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Details

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Provider

Coursera
Pricing

Paid Course
Languages

English
Certificate

Certificate Available
Effort

8 weeks, 3 hours a week
Sessions

Self-Paced
Level

Intermediate
Subtitles

English

Found in

Part of

Medical School Anatomy and Physiology II

Overview

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The lower limb is built for weight-bearing and locomotion, and this course closes out the program by tracing that anatomy from the hip to the foot. The course opens with the osteology and surface anatomy of the lower limb and its joints, then moves through the gluteal region, thigh, leg, and foot in turn, examining the fascia and neurovascular structures that run through each. The course closes with musculoskeletal physiology, working through the structure and function of skeletal and smooth muscle, including the mechanisms of contraction and relaxation at the cellular level. As in the upper limb course, the anatomy is taught alongside the clinical deficits it explains, so that a lesion or injury can be localized to the structure responsible. This closing physiology section ties the anatomical detail of the certificate back to the membrane and muscle physiology principles that underlie movement throughout the body.

Syllabus

Osteology and Surface Anatomy of the Lower Limbs
- This module covers the osteology of the lower limb, from the surface anatomy and hip bone through the femur, tibia, fibula, patella, and the bones of the foot.
Joints of the Lower Limbs
- This module covers the ligamentous anatomy, vascular supply, and movements of the joints of the lower limb, from the hip to the small joints of the foot.
Anatomy of the Gluteal Region
- This module covers the muscles of the gluteal region and the neurovascular structures that connect the pelvis to the gluteal region through the sciatic foramina.
Anatomy of the Thigh
- This module covers the muscular compartments of the thigh and the key anatomical spaces—the femoral triangle, subinguinal space, adductor canal, and popliteal fossa—through which neurovascular structures pass.
Anatomy of the Leg
- This module covers the muscular compartments of the leg, including the origin, insertion, and function of the muscles in the anterior, lateral, and posterior compartments.
Anatomy of the Foot
- This module covers the surface anatomy, intrinsic muscles, neurovasculature, and supporting ligaments and arches of the foot.
Fasciae and Neurovasculature of the Lower Limbs
- This module covers the arterial, venous, and lymphatic supply of the lower limb, along with the cutaneous innervation and the organization of the lumbar and sacral plexuses and their major peripheral nerve branches, including the clinical effects of nerve injury.
Musculoskeletal Physiology
- This module covers the physiology of bone and muscle tissue, including bone remodeling and calcium homeostasis, the molecular mechanics of skeletal muscle contraction and fiber types, and the distinct contraction mechanisms of smooth muscle.