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Hip adductors refer to a group of muscles in the medial compartment of the thigh that are responsible for bringing the thighs together and producing adduction of the thigh at the hip joint. The primary hip adductors are the pectineus, adductor longus, gracilis, adductor brevis, and adductor magnus. These muscles are innervated by the obturator nerve, which arises from the lumbar plexus, and play a crucial role in gait stabilization and body posture during locomotion.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Group of muscles | Adductor longus, adductor brevis, adductor magnus, gracilis, pectineus |
| Location | Medial compartment of the thigh |
| Function | Adduction of the thigh, flexion of the hip joint, rotation and flexion of the thigh |
| Innervation | Obturator nerve (L2-L4) |
| Blood supply | Femoral artery and obturator artery |
| Injuries | Strain of the adductor muscles is a common sports injury, especially in soccer, hockey, and football |
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What You'll Learn
Adductor longus
The adductor longus is a large, fan-shaped muscle located in the medial compartment of the thigh. It is one of the hip adductors, along with the adductor brevis, adductor magnus, pectineus, and gracilis muscles. The adductor longus is the most anteriorly placed muscle of the adductor group, covering the middle part of the adductor magnus and the anterior part of the adductor brevis.
The adductor longus muscle is responsible for adducting and externally rotating the thigh. It also contributes to some degree of flexion or anteversion. The muscle originates from the anterior surface of the body of the pubis and inserts onto the middle third of the medial lip of the linea aspera. This insertion point is located between the insertion of the adductor magnus and the origin of the vastus medialis muscle, inferior to the adductor brevis insertion.
The adductor longus is innervated by the anterior division of the obturator nerve (L2-L4). It receives its blood supply primarily from the deep femoral artery, a branch of the femoral artery, and contributions from the medial circumflex femoral and femoral arteries. The obturator nerve is a branch of the lumbar plexus, descending medial to the psoas major muscle before entering the pelvis.
The adductor longus muscle plays an important role in stabilising the pelvis during standing and aids in balancing the body on the lower limb while walking. Adductor tendinopathy, a common injury among athletes, can cause medial leg and groin pain. It often occurs in sports that involve sudden changes in direction, such as soccer, ice skating, and running.
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Adductor brevis
The adductor brevis is a flat, triangular muscle found in the inner thigh. It is one of the four primary hip adductors, along with the adductor longus, adductor magnus, and gracilis. These muscles are responsible for moving the thigh or lower extremity closer to the body's central axis.
The adductor brevis has a relatively narrow origin, located on the anterior surface of the body of the pubis, with some fibres arising from the lateral surface of the inferior pubic ramus. From there, it widens into a triangular shape as it runs towards its insertion on the femur. The muscle is innervated by the obturator nerve and supplied with blood from the deep femoral artery and its branch, the artery for the adductors.
The main function of the adductor brevis is the adduction of the thigh, particularly when the thigh is flexed or during the gait cycle. It also plays a role in the external rotation and flexion of the hip. All adductors of the thigh pull the leg medially when walking, maintaining balance and shifting the centre of gravity onto the supporting foot.
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Adductor magnus
The adductor magnus is a large, fan-shaped sheet of muscle and the largest of the hip adductors. It is a composite muscle consisting of two parts: the adductor part (or pubofemoral part) and the ischiocondylar part (or hamstring part). The adductor part is considered to be part of the medial thigh (adductor) compartment, while the hamstring part functionally belongs to the posterior compartment of the thigh. The adductor magnus occupies the majority of the medial portion of the thigh and is the largest and strongest muscle of the medial compartment of the thigh.
The adductor part arises from the outer surface of the inferior pubic ramus of the pubic bone and the ischial ramus. It can be divided into two portions: the superior portion, which arises from the pubic ramus, and the inferior portion, which arises from the ischial ramus. The superior portion of the adductor part passes obliquely and almost horizontally to insert at the upper part of the linea aspera. The larger, inferior portion of the adductor part fibres that originate from the ischial ramus fan out inferolaterally to insert along the entire length of the linea aspera and the upper part of the medial supracondylar line.
The ischiocondylar part of the adductor magnus forms a thick medial margin that descends almost vertically towards the lower end of the thigh. It ends in a rounded tendon and inserts at the adductor tubercle on the medial femoral condyle. The origin of the ischiocondylar part spans from the femoral surface of the ischiopubic ramus to the lateral part of the inferior surface of the ischial tuberosity.
The adductor magnus is a powerful adductor of the thigh, especially when the legs are moved from a wide-spread position to one in which the legs are parallel. The adductor magnus also has a large hip extensor muscle moment arm length, which changes with hip angle. It is a more effective hip extensor than either the hamstrings or gluteus maximus when the hip is flexed. The muscle's peak contractions are seen in positions of hip flexion, such as full squats.
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Gracilis
The gracilis muscle is a long, slender muscle located in the medial (adductor) compartment of the thigh. It is the most superficial and medial of the hip adductors, overlying the adductor longus, adductor brevis, adductor magnus, and pectineus muscles. The gracilis muscle descends almost vertically down the leg, attaching to the coxal bone and tibia at the pes anserinus.
The gracilis muscle is innervated by the obturator nerve, specifically the anterior branch (L2-L4), which arises from the lumbar plexus. It receives most of its vascular supply from the 'artery to the adductors', a branch of the deep femoral artery. The gracilis is the only hip adductor that crosses and acts on two joints: the hip and knee.
The main function of the gracilis muscle is thigh adduction and flexion, as well as leg flexion and medial (internal) rotation. These actions are important for balance and gait stabilization, helping to maintain posture and stabilize the pelvis during movement.
The gracilis muscle is also commonly used in reconstructive surgery (graciloplasty), particularly in vaginal and upper/lower limb reconstruction. It is also used to treat anal incontinence and restore forearm function. In sports, gracilis strain or tendinopathy is a common injury, especially in soccer, hockey, baseball, and other high-impact sports involving ballistic movements.
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Pectineus
The pectineus muscle is a flat, quadrangular muscle, situated at the anterior (front) part of the upper and medial (inner) aspect of the thigh. It is one of the muscles located on the medial thigh, alongside a group of four primary large muscles: the adductor longus, adductor brevis, adductor magnus, and gracilis muscles, which primarily function in hip adduction. The pectineus muscle assists in hip adduction and flexion and is considered a transitional muscle between the anterior thigh and medial thigh due to its innervation. It is innervated by the femoral nerve (L2 and L3) and occasionally (in 20% of the population) by a branch of the obturator nerve called the accessory obturator nerve.
The pectineus muscle is the most anterior adductor of the hip, and its primary action is hip flexion. It also produces adduction and external rotation of the hip. The muscle arises from the pectineal line of the pubis and, to a slight extent, from the surface of the bone in front of it, between the iliopectineal eminence and pubic tubercle. The fibres pass downward, backward, and lateral, to be inserted into the pectineal line of the femur, which leads from the lesser trochanter to the linea aspera. The pectineus muscle can become injured by overstretching, such as by stretching the leg too far out to the side or front of the body. Pectineus injuries can also be caused by rapid movements like kicking or sprinting, changing directions too quickly while running, or even by sitting with a leg crossed for too long. Treatment of a pectineus muscle injury involves protecting the injured area from further injury, minimizing activities that use the muscle, and icing the injury to reduce swelling and pain.
The pectineus muscle is classified in the medial compartment of the thigh when emphasising its function, or the anterior compartment of the thigh when emphasising its nerve. It is one of a few muscles classified into two compartments simultaneously due to its dual innervation. The muscle lies in the same plane as, and medially to, the adductor longus. Laterally, it is related to the psoas major muscle and the medial circumflex femoral artery and vein. The anterior surface of the pectineus forms the medial part of the floor of the femoral triangle, along with the adductor longus. This surface of the pectineus is covered with the deep layer of fascia lata, which separates it from the femoral artery, femoral vein, and great saphenous vein that course through the femoral triangle.
The hip adductors are a group of muscles in the medial compartment of the thigh that produce adduction of the thigh at the hip joint, pulling the thigh towards or past the median plane. They also contribute to the stabilisation and balance of the pelvis and body posture while standing, walking, or running. The pectineus muscle, while not a primary hip adductor, assists in this movement and plays a role in hip flexion.
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Frequently asked questions
The hip adductors are a group of muscles in the medial compartment of the thigh. They are responsible for bringing the thighs together and are involved in gait stabilization.
The hip adductors include the pectineus, adductor longus, gracilis, adductor brevis, and adductor magnus. The adductor longus is the most frequently injured muscle in athletes, and strains are a common cause of groin pain.
The main function of the hip adductors is to produce adduction of the thigh at the hip joint, pulling the thigh toward or past the median plane. They also contribute to the stabilization and balance of the pelvis and body posture during various activities such as standing, walking, or running.
