The short head is unique among the hamstrings in being innervated by the common peroneal nerve, making it a critical localising muscle for EMG in sciatic and peroneal nerve injuries.
| Origin | Lateral lip of the linea aspera and lateral supracondylar line of the femur |
|---|---|
| Insertion | Head of the fibula via the common biceps tendon |
| Nerve Supply | Common peroneal nerve (L5, S1, S2) — the only hamstring NOT supplied by the tibial nerve |
| Blood Supply | Perforating branches of profunda femoris |
| Actions | Flexes the knee; Laterally rotates the leg when knee is flexed |
|---|
Short head biceps EMG distinguishes tibial from common peroneal sciatic division injury — preserved short head with abnormal peroneal territory indicates a common peroneal lesion distal to the short head branch.
Palpated on the lateral posterior thigh as the lesser hamstring component during resisted knee flexion in external rotation.
Short head EMG abnormality localising the peroneal division injury to the sciatic nerve rather than the peroneal nerve at the fibular head.
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