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Sexual Dimorphism in Rectus Femoris Muscle Dimensions Among Undergraduate Students

Abstract

The study examines sexual dimorphism in the dimensions of the rectus femoris muscle among undergraduate students, with emphasis on differences in selected muscle measurements between male and female participants. The rectus femoris is one of the four components of the quadriceps femoris muscle group and occupies the anterior aspect of the thigh. It crosses both the hip and knee joints and contributes to hip flexion and knee extension during lower limb movement. Understanding differences in its dimensions may provide useful information on anatomical variation between the sexes and contribute to the assessment of normal musculoskeletal characteristics. The study will determine the dimensions of the rectus femoris muscle among undergraduate students and compare the measured characteristics between male and female participants. The specific objectives will include measuring selected dimensions of the muscle, determining the mean measurements for each sex, assessing the degree of variation in the observed dimensions, and establishing whether significant differences exist between male and female participants. Where applicable, differences between the right and left sides will also be documented. A cross-sectional descriptive research design will be adopted for the study. An appropriate sample of undergraduate students will be selected using a suitable sampling technique. Data on the dimensions of the rectus femoris will be obtained using standardized anatomical or imaging-based assessment procedures and appropriate measurement instruments. The collected data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation, while appropriate inferential tests will be applied to compare the measurements between male and female participants. The study is expected to reveal variations in the dimensions of the rectus femoris among the participants, with male and female groups potentially demonstrating differences in selected muscle measurements. Some of the observed differences may be statistically significant, while other measurements may show considerable overlap between the groups. Side-related variation may also be observed where both limbs are assessed. The findings are expected to provide information on the extent of sex-related variation in rectus femoris muscle dimensions among undergraduate students. The findings will be useful to anatomists, physiotherapists, orthopaedic surgeons, radiologists, sports medicine practitioners, rehabilitation specialists, and other healthcare professionals involved in lower limb assessment and management. The study may provide useful anatomical reference information for understanding differences in rectus femoris dimensions and may support clinical and imaging-based assessment of the anterior thigh, hip, and knee regions. The study will conclude by documenting the dimensional characteristics of the rectus femoris muscle and identifying the observed differences between male and female undergraduate students. It is recommended that standardized anatomical and imaging-based measurement procedures be used when assessing the muscle, while further studies involving larger and more diverse populations should be conducted to establish broader reference values for rectus femoris muscle dimensions.

Keywords: Rectus femoris, sexual dimorphism, muscle dimensions, quadriceps femoris, anterior thigh, muscle morphology, anatomical variation, lower limb, hip flexion, knee extension, undergraduate students, sex differences, thigh anatomy, musculoskeletal anatomy, clinical anatomy.