Ischiocavernosus muscle

Ischiocavernosus muscle
Muscles of the female perineum. (Ischiocavernosus visible at upper right.)
Muscles of male perineum. (Ischiocavernosus visible at upper left.)
Latin	musculus ischiocavernosus
Gray's	subject #120 428
Origin	Ischial Tuberosity
Insertion	Crus of Penis
Artery	Perineal artery
Nerve	pudendal nerve
Actions	assists the bulbospongiosus muscle

The ischiocavernosus muscle is a muscle just below the surface of the perineum, present in both men and women.

Function

It helps flex the anus, and (in males) stabilize the erect penis or (in females) tense the vagina during orgasm. Kegel exercises (also known as pelvic floor exercises) can help tone the ischiocavernosus muscle.

Ischiocavernosus compresses the crus penis, and retards the return of the blood through the veins, and thus serves to maintain the organ erect.

Fibers

It arises by tendinous and fleshy fibers from the inner surface of the tuberosity of the ischium, behind the crus penis; and from the rami of the pubis and ischium on either side of the crus.

From these points fleshy fibers succeed, and end in an aponeurosis which is inserted into the sides and under surface of the crus penis.

Additional images

• 

  Right hip bone. Internal surface.

• 

  Coronal section of anterior part of pelvis, through the pubic arch. Seen from in front.

• 

  The superficial branches of the internal pudendal artery.

External links

• -194314163 at GPnotebook
• LUC isho
• SUNY Labs 41:11-0101 - "The Female Perineum: Muscles of the Superficial Perineal Pouch"
• SUNY Figs 41:05-01 - "Muscles of the female superficial perineal pouch."
• SUNY Figs 42:04-01 - "Muscles of the male superficial perineal pouch. "
• Intelihealth page with good diagram

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.