The muscle of the appendicular skeleton in the hip and knee movement include:

1. Psoas major
2. Iliacus
3. Piriformis
4. Gemellus superior and gemellus inferior
5. Obturator internus and obturator externus
6. Quadratus femoris
7. Gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus
8. Tensor fascia lata
9. Rectus femoris
10. Vastus intermedius, vastus medialis, and vastus lateralis
11. Sartorius
12. Semimembranosus
13. Semitendinosis
14. Biceps femoris
15. Gracilis
16. Adductor magnus, adductor longus, and adductor brevis
17. Pectineus
18. Gastrocnemius
19. Plantaris
20. Popliteus

The psoas major comes from the Greek roots meaning "muscle of the loin", and this muscle's nerve is the lumbar nerve. The action is found in the laterally rotated hip, the hip flexing, and the vertebral column flexing. The insertion is the lesser trochanter, and the origin is the transverse processes and the vertebral bodies.

The iliacus comes from the Latin root "ilia" meaning "flank", and its nerve is found in the femoral nerve. The action of this muscle is in the flexing of the hip and the laterally rotated hip. The origin is the iliac fossa and the anterior inferior iliac spine, while the insertion is at the lesser trochanter. As with all deep lateral hip rotators, they are found underneath the gluteals and are similar to the rotator cuff muscle found in the shoulder joint.

The piriformis is another muscle found in the area that produces movement for the hip and knee, and its nerve is the sciatic nerve. The action of this muscle is that it laterally rotates the hip and abducts the hip as well. The origin is in the anterior sacrum, and the insertion is the greater trochanter.