Leg

For other uses, see Leg (disambiguation).

Diagram of an insect leg

A leg is a weight bearing and locomotive structure, usually having a columnar shape. During locomotion, legs function as "extensible struts"^[1] - the combination of movements at all joints can be modeled as a single, linear element capable of changing length and rotating about an omnidirectional "hip" joint.

As an anatomical animal structure it is used for locomotion. The distal end is often modified to distribute force (such as a foot). Most animals have an even number of legs.

As a component of furniture it is used for the economy of materials needed to provide the support for the useful surface, the table top or chair seat.

Terminology

• Uniped: 1
• Biped: 2
• Triped: 3
• Quadruped: 4

Many taxa are characterized by number of legs:

• Tetrapod
• Arthropoda: 4, 6 (Insecta), 8, 12, or 14
  • Some arthropods have more than a dozen legs; a few species possess over 100. Despite what their names might suggest,
    • Centipedes may have less than 20 or more than 300 legs.
    • Millipedes have fewer than 1,000 legs, but up to 750.

Tetrapod legs

In tetrapod anatomy, leg is used to refer to the entire limb. In human medicine its precise definition refers^[2][3][4] only to the segment between the knee and the ankle. This segment is also called the shank,^[5][6] and the front (anterior) of the segment is called the shin or pretibia.

In bipedal tetrapods, the two lower limbs are referred to as the "legs" and the two upper limbs as "arms" or "wings" as the case may be.

• Human leg

Arthropod leg

• Arthropod leg

Robotic leg

• Robotic leg

See also

Notes

1. ^ http://jeb.biologists.org/cgi/content/abstract/20/2/88
2. ^ "Leg". Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). National Library of Medicine. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/cgi/mesh/2007/MB_cgi?mode=&term=Leg&field=entry. Retrieved 2009-04-18. 
3. ^ "leg". Dorland's Medical Dictionary for Healthcare Consumers. Leg. http://www.mercksource.com/pp/us/cns/cns_hl_dorlands_split.jsp?pg=/ppdocs/us/common/dorlands/dorland/five/000058188.htm. Retrieved 2009-04-18. 
4. ^ Merriam-Webster Dictionary leg
5. ^ Kardong, Kenneth V. (2009). Vertebrates: Comparative anatomy, function, evolution (5th. ed.). McGraw-Hill. p. 340. ISBN 978-0-07-304058-5. 
6. ^ Merriam-Webster Dictionary shank

This anatomy article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.v · Categories: Animal anatomy Locomotion Lower limb anatomy Anatomy stubs Wikimedia Foundation. 2010. Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР? Howick College Washington Heights, Roanoke, Virginia Look at other dictionaries: Leg — (l[e^]g), n. [Icel. leggr; akin to Dan. l[ae]g calf of the leg, Sw. l[ a]gg.] 1. A limb or member of an animal used for supporting the body, and in running, climbing, and swimming; esp., that part of the limb between the knee and foot. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English leg — [leg] n. [ME < ON leggr, a leg, limb < IE base * lek , limb > L lacertus, muscle, lacerta, lizard] 1. one of the parts of the body by means of which animals stand and walk, specif., in human beings, a) one of the lower limbs b) Anat. the …   English World dictionary leg — ► NOUN 1) each of the limbs on which a person or animal moves and stands. 2) a long, thin support or prop, especially of a chair or table. 3) a section of a journey, process, or race. 4) (in sport) each of two or more games or stages constituting …   English terms dictionary leg*/*/*/ — [leg] noun [C] 1) one of the parts of a person s or animal s body to which the feet are attached an exercise to strengthen the leg muscles[/ex] She sat down and crossed her legs.[/ex] 2) the part of a piece of clothing that covers one of your… …   Dictionary for writing and speaking English legʷh- —     legʷh     English meaning: light (adj.)     Deutsche Übersetzung: “leicht in Bewegung and Gewicht”, verbal ‘sich leicht, flink bewegen”     Note: nasalized lengʷh     Material: 1. O.Ind. laghu , ved. raghu “rash, hasty, light, small”, compar …   Proto-Indo-European etymological dictionary Leg — * Lêg, er, este, oder Lêge, r, ste, adj. et adv. welches nur in einigen gemeinen Mundarten üblich ist, wo es eigentlich niedrig bedeutet, in welchem Verstande es vorzüglich im Niederdeutschen vorkommt. Das Wasser ist leg, niedrig. Leges Wasser… …   Grammatisch-kritisches Wörterbuch der Hochdeutschen Mundart leg-1 —     leg 1     English meaning: to drip, ooze, flow out     Deutsche Übersetzung: “tröpfeln, sickern, zergehen”     Material: Arm. lič ‘swamp, marsh” (*lēgi̯ ü); O.Ir. legaim “löse mich auf, zergehe, schmelze”, fo llega “(die ink) running from”,… …   Proto-Indo-European etymological dictionary leĝ- —     leĝ     English meaning: to gather     Deutsche Übersetzung: “zusammenlesen, sammeln”     Material: Gk. λέγω ‘sammle, lese together, zähle, rede, say”, καταλέγω “verzeichne”, συλλογή ‘sammlung”, ἐκλογή “Auswahl”, λόγος, λέξις “ discourse “,… …   Proto-Indo-European etymological dictionary Leg — (l[e^]g), v. t. To use as a leg, with it as object: (a) To bow. [Obs.] (b) To run. [Low] [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English leg. — leg. 〈Abk. für ital.〉 legato * * * leg. = ↑ legato. * * * leg. = legato …   Universal-Lexikon leg-up — leg ,up noun singular 1. ) INFORMAL if you give someone a leg up, you help them to make progress, especially in their career 2. ) if you give someone a leg up, you help them climb something by letting them put their foot in your hands and then… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English 18+ © Academic, 2000-2024 Contact us: Technical Support, Advertising Dictionaries export, created on PHP, Joomla, Drupal, WordPress, MODx. Mark and share Search through all dictionaries Translate… Search Internet Share the article and excerpts Direct link … Do a right-click on the link above and select “Copy Link”