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The Adductor Group is composed of (from lateral to medial) the:
- Pectineus
- Adductor longus
- Gracilis (aka Adductor gracilis)
- Adductor brevis
- Adductor magnus
ATTACHMENTS:
- The adductor group attaches from the pubic bone and ischium to the linea aspera, pectineal line, adductor tubercle of the femur, and the pes anserine tendon at the proximal anteromedial tibia.
ACTIONS:
- As a group, the adductors adduct, flex, and medially rotate the thigh at the hip joint.
- The adductor group also anteriorly tilts and ipsilaterally rotates (and elevate the same-side) pelvis at the hip joint.
- The gracilis can also flex the leg (and/or thigh) at the knee joint.
- The adductor magnus extends the thigh and posteriorly tilts the pelvis at the hip joint.
NOTE: The adductor magnus (or more specifically the posterior head of the adductor magnus) is often called “the 4th hamstring” because like the hamstring muscles, it attaches to the ischial tuberosity, it is innervated by the sciatic nerve (not the obturator nerve like the majority of the rest of the adductor group muscles), and can extend the thigh (and posterior tilt the pelvis) at the hip joint.
