human) head. face is used when referring to physical features: a pretty face with high cheekbones. countenance, a more formal word, denotes the face as it is affected by or reveals a person's state of mind; hence, it often signifies the look or expression on the face: a thoughtful countenance.
Muscles Around the Knee. 1  Quadriceps femoris musclesâa large muscle group on the front of the thigh. 2  Vastus lateralisâpart of the quadriceps femoris on the outside-front of the thigh, it extends or straightens the leg and is controlled by the femoral nerve. Vastus lateralisâpart of the quadriceps femoris on the outside-front of the thigh, it extends or straightens the leg and is controlled by the femoral nerve. 2  Vastus intermediusâpart of the quadriceps femoris on the center-front of the thigh, it extends or straightens the leg and is controlled by the femoral nerve.
This article discusses a very common problem in which the cartilage on the joint surface of the kneecap (patella) starts to deteriorate and causes pain along the front of the knee. Print version with pictures-chondromalacia patella.pdf. Patella. The patella is also known as the kneecap. It is a large bone that sits on the front part of the knee. Its function is to improve the biomechanical properties of the quadriceps muscle (muscle on the front of the thigh). This bone increases the lever arm of the quad and improves it strength by 20 to 30%. The articular cartilage on the patellar is the thickest in the body and is 4 to 6 millimeters thick (1/4 inch).