Which of the following statements is false?

• A. The biceps femoris is a flexor muscle in the leg.
• B. An adductor muscle moves the body part toward the body.
• C. The iliotibial tract is made up of fibers.
• D. Flexor muscles are located on the front, or ventral, side of the leg.

Answer: (D)

Understanding how muscles are organized in the leg helps explain why that last statement is not correct. Flexion of the knee is carried out by muscles located in the posterior thigh—the hamstrings, including the biceps femoris, shorten to bend the knee. An adductor muscle pulls a limb toward the midline of the body, which these medial thigh muscles do. The iliotibial tract is a thick band of connective tissue made up of fibers, not a muscle. The idea that flexor muscles sit on the front, or ventral, side of the leg conflicts with anatomy: in the leg, the front compartment houses mostly extensors, while the back compartment contains the flexors. So the false statement is the one claiming flexors are on the front.