Fascia lata

The fascia lata is the deep fascia (fibro-conjunctive aponeurosis) of the thigh, covering the superficial face of the muscles that make it up:

• It is inserted proximally on the inguinal ligament, the upper branch, the body then the lower branch of the pubis, the sacro-tuberal ligament, the external face of the sacrum and the coccyx, the external edge of the iliac crest. Distally, it extends through the deep fascia of the leg.


• The fascia lata is characterized by a longitudinal thickening descending on the lateral edge of the thigh: the iliotibial tract (or band of Maissiat). It fits above the iliac crest tubercle (iliac bone), and below the lateral tibial condyle and Gerdy's infra-condylar tubercle (tibia).


• This tract serves as an insertion for the gluteus maximus and tensor muscles of the fascia lata, thus forming the gluteal deltoid (muscle formation identifiable with the deltoid muscle of the upper limb by its abductive and rotatory action of the lower limb).