The medial compartment of the thigh muscles, also known as the five hip adductor muscles, is found in the inner (medial) part of the thigh. Their main job is to pull the thigh inward toward the body at the hip joint. These muscles are:

• Gracilis

• Pectineus

• Adductor longus

• Adductor brevis

• Adductor magnus.

All hip adductors start from the pubic bone and attach to the femur. The gracilis also crosses the knee joint and attaches to the tibia.

All hip adductors share the same compartment and share blood and nerve supply. Most are controlled by the obturator nerve (L2–L4), except the pectineus, which is usually controlled by the femoral nerve (L2–L3). The adductor magnus also gets input from the sciatic nerve (L4).

Adductor magnus

The adductor magnus is the largest and deepest of the adductors. It has two parts:

The adductor part starts at the ischiopubic ramus and inserts along the femur.

The hamstring (ischiocondylar) part starts at the ischial tuberosity and attaches to the adductor tubercle.

These two parts are supplied by different nerves:

• the obturator (L2-L4) for the adductor part and 

• the tibial division of the sciatic nerve (L4) for the hamstring part. 

The adductor magnus adducts, flexes, extends, and rotates the thigh and stabilizes the pelvis.

Adductor brevis

The adductor brevis is a short, triangular muscle that lies between the adductor longus and magnus. It adducts, flexes, and rotates the thigh and helps stabilize the pelvis.

• Origin: Pubic body and inferior pubic ramus.

• Insertion: Linea aspera of the femur.

• Innervation: Obturator (L2-L4).

Pectineus

The pectineus is a flat, uppermost adductor muscle that forms part of the floor of the femoral triangle. It runs from the pubis to the upper femur. It helps flex, adduct, and rotate the thigh and stabilizes the pelvis.

• Origin: Superior pubic ramus.

• Insertion: Pectineal line of the femur.

• Innervation: Usually femoral (L2-L3), sometimes obturator.

Adductor longus

The adductor longus is a flat, triangular muscle in the front of the adductor group. It runs from the pubis to the middle part of the femur. It also helps form the walls of the femoral triangle and the adductor canal. It flexes, adducts, and rotates the thigh and stabilizes the pelvis.

• Origin: Body of pubis.

• Insertion: Linea aspera of the femur.

• Innervation: Obturator (L2–L4).

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