
Adduction is a movement toward the midline of the body. Adduction of the hip, for example, involves squeezing the legs together. The muscles that are involved in this movement are called the hip adductors, which include the adductor magnus, adductor brevis, adductor longus, pectineus, and gracilis. These muscles are responsible for bringing the legs toward the center of the body, providing lower body stability during daily activities such as walking, climbing stairs, and squatting.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | Adduction is a movement towards the midline of the body. |
| Muscles Involved | Adductor magnus, adductor brevis, adductor longus, pectineus, gracilis, and hip adductors. |
| Function | Adduction of the hip squeezes the legs together. |
| Joint Movement | Adduction occurs at the shoulder, hip, wrist, metacarpophalangeal, and metatarsophalangeal joints. |
| Angle | Normal hip adduction is up to 30°. |
| Position | Adduction is easier with the hip flexed than when extended. |
| Role | Adductors provide support for the hips and lower body, aiding in balance, power, speed, and alignment. |
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What You'll Learn
- The hip adductors are the muscles in the medial compartment of the thigh
- Adduction is a movement towards the midline of the body
- Adductor magnus, adductor brevis, adductor longus, pectineus, and gracilis are the adductor muscles
- Hip adductors help stabilise the pelvis and lower extremity during the stance phase of gait and assist in postural control
- Toning, strengthening, and stretching hip adductors can improve athletic performance and prevent injury

The hip adductors are the muscles in the medial compartment of the thigh
Adduction is a movement toward the midline of the body. Adduction of the hip, for example, involves squeezing the legs together. The muscles in the medial compartment of the thigh are collectively known as the hip adductors. These muscles are responsible for moving the thigh or lower extremity closer to the body's central axis.
There are four primary muscles in this group: the adductor longus, adductor brevis, adductor magnus, and gracilis. The adductor magnus is the largest muscle in the medial compartment, and the adductor longus is a large, flat muscle that partially covers the adductor brevis and magnus. The adductor brevis is a short muscle that lies underneath the adductor longus. The gracilis is the most superficial and medial of the hip adductors, crossing both the hip and knee joints.
In addition to these four primary muscles, the pectineus muscle assists in the movement of the thigh toward the body's midline and also plays a role in hip flexion. All the hip adductors are innervated by the obturator nerve, which arises from the lumbar plexus.
The hip adductors help stabilize the pelvis and lower extremity during the stance phase of gait and assist in postural control. They also play a role in hip flexion and rotation. Toning, strengthening, and stretching the hip adductors can improve athletic performance and prevent injury.
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Adduction is a movement towards the midline of the body
The hip adductors are responsible for bringing the legs towards the centre of the body, providing stability to the hips and lower body. They are essential for athletes, aiding in explosive movements such as running, jumping, and quickly moving from side to side. Toning, strengthening, and stretching the hip adductors can improve athletic performance and prevent injuries.
Adduction is also observed at the wrist and fingers. At the wrist, adduction moves the hand towards the midline of the body. In the fingers, adduction brings the fingers together, as opposed to abduction, which spreads them out.
It is important to note that adduction can be performed in the supine position with the hip extended or flexed. The range of motion during adduction can be assessed by beginning with the hip in an abducted position and asking the individual to return it to the midline.
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Adductor magnus, adductor brevis, adductor longus, pectineus, and gracilis are the adductor muscles
Adduction is a movement toward the midline of the body. Adduction of the hip, for example, involves squeezing the legs together. Adductor muscles are responsible for this movement.
The adductor magnus, adductor brevis, adductor longus, pectineus, and gracilis are the adductor muscles. They are the primary hip adductors, located in the medial compartment of the thigh. These muscles work together to move the thigh or lower extremity closer to the body's central axis.
The adductor magnus is the largest muscle in the medial compartment and lies posteriorly to the other muscles. The adductor longus is a large, flat muscle that partially covers the adductor brevis and magnus, forming the medial border of the femoral triangle. It also provides some medial rotation. The adductor brevis is a short muscle that lies underneath the adductor longus.
The gracilis is the most superficial and medial of the hip adductors. It crosses both the hip and knee joints, adducting the thigh at the hip and flexing the leg at the knee. The pectineus muscle, while not a primary hip adductor, assists in the movement and also plays a role in hip flexion.
Hip adductors are crucial for athletes, as they contribute to hip strength, mobility, balance, power, and speed. Strengthening these muscles can improve athletic performance and prevent injuries, especially during explosive movements such as running and jumping.
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Hip adductors help stabilise the pelvis and lower extremity during the stance phase of gait and assist in postural control
Adduction is a movement towards the midline of the body. Adduction of the hip squeezes the legs together. The hip adductors are the muscles in the medial compartment of the thigh. There are four primary muscles in this group: adductor longus, adductor brevis, adductor magnus, and gracilis. The adductor magnus is the largest muscle in the medial compartment and lies posteriorly to the other muscles. The adductor longus is a large, flat muscle that partially covers the adductor brevis and magnus, forming the medial border of the femoral triangle. The adductor brevis is a short muscle that lies underneath the adductor longus. The gracilis is the most superficial and medial of the hip adductors, crossing both the hip and knee joints.
The hip adductors help stabilise the pelvis and lower extremity during the stance phase of gait and assist in postural control. They also have secondary roles, including hip flexion and rotation. The obturator externus, pectineus, gemelli (superior and inferior), and quadratus femoris may also be included by some authorities. The hip adductors are innervated by the obturator nerve, which arises from the lumbar plexus. In closed chain activation, the hip adductors help stabilise the pelvis and lower extremity during the stance phase of gait and assist in postural control.
Pelvic stability training has been shown to improve the movement control of the trunk and lower extremities, hip muscle strength, gait speed, and lateral pelvic tilt in patients with stroke. The pelvis is a part of the lower trunk in the sitting position, providing dynamic postural stability during anterior-posterior and lateral weight shifts. To perform lateral flexion and rotation of trunk movements in a sitting position, an individual should have better dynamic stability of the lower trunk and pelvis. Pelvic stability training has also been found to be beneficial in improving trunk performance in individuals without stroke.
The clinical significance of an internal rotation torque bias with greater hip flexion has been extensively described in the literature related to the study of the excessively internally rotated and flexed ("crouched") gait pattern in some persons with cerebral palsy. Poor control or weakness of hip extensor muscles can cause an excessively flexed posture of the hip, which can contribute to low back pain in some individuals. This gait pattern may be better controlled by enhanced activation of the external rotator, abductor, and hip extensor muscles.
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Toning, strengthening, and stretching hip adductors can improve athletic performance and prevent injury
Adduction is a movement towards the midline of the body. Adductor muscles, or hip adductors, are a group of muscles in the medial compartment of the thigh that bring the legs inward toward the body's central axis. There are four primary hip adductor muscles: adductor longus, adductor brevis, adductor magnus, and gracilis.
Toning, strengthening, and stretching the hip adductors can improve athletic performance and prevent injury in several ways. Firstly, the adductors are among the largest muscles in the body and play a crucial role in providing lower body stability during daily activities such as walking, climbing stairs, and squatting. They are especially important for athletes, enabling explosive movements such as running, jumping, and quickly moving from side to side. Therefore, strengthening the hip adductors can improve athletic performance by enhancing stability, balance, power, and speed.
Secondly, the adductors help maintain a balanced hip joint and improve overall hip stability. Side-lying leg raises, for example, enhance hip stability by strengthening and toning the adductors. This exercise involves lying on your side and lifting the top leg against gravity, engaging the adductor muscles. Similarly, standing adductor stretches and resistance band squeezes improve hip stability by targeting the adductor muscles in the inner thighs.
Additionally, strengthening the hip adductors can prevent injuries, especially in sports like football, rugby, and basketball, where adductor strains are common. Adductor strains are a leading cause of groin injuries. Specific adductor exercises aid in recovery from adductor strains and prevent further injury. A proper warm-up routine, including dynamic stretching, is essential before adductor training to increase blood flow and flexibility, thereby reducing the risk of injury.
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Frequently asked questions
Adductors are a group of muscles located on the inner thigh that bring the legs toward the centre of the body.
Adduction is the movement of the limbs, hand, fingers, or toes toward the midline of the body.
The pectineus, adductor longus, adductor brevis, adductor magnus, and gracilis adduct the hip.
Toning, strengthening, and stretching the hip adductors can improve athletic performance and prevent injury.











































