medial muscles of the anterior thigh

overview of medial thigh muscles

contains 6 muscles

• collectively responsible for hip ABduction and hip internal rotation

femoral triangle

• Passageway from lower abdomen into the lower limb

• Lower extremity equivalent of the axilla.

• Boundaries:

  • Inguinal ligament (superior)

  • Sartorius muscle (lateral border)

  • Adductor longus (medial border)

  • Muscular Floor

    • Iliopsoas

    • Pectineus

contents of femoral triangle

• Medial to lateral

  • femoral Vein

  • femoral Artery

  • femoral Nerve

obturator externus

O: external surface of obturator membrane, adjacent margins of obturator forearm
I: trochanteric fossa of the femur
A: hip external rotation
N: obturator nerve

adducutor magnus (adductor portion)

O: ischiopubic ramus
I: medial lip of linea aspera on proximal femur
A: hip ADduction and hip internal rotation
N: obturator nerve

adductor magnus (hamstring portion)

O: ischial tuberosity
I: adductor tubercle
A: hip ADduction and hip extension
N: tibial branch of the sciatic nerve

adductor hiatus

• Formed by a gap in the tendon of adductor magnus, located between the insertions of adductor and hamstring portions.

• Provides a passage for the femoral artery & vein to pass from anterior thigh to the popliteal fossa in the posterior knee.

• Femoral vessels change their names to popliteal artery and vein once they pass through the adductor hiatus.

gracilis

O: ischopubic ramus
I: pes anserinus (proximal medial tibia)
A: hip ADduction
N: obturator nerve

pectineus

O: superior pubic ramus
I: pectineal line of femur
A: hip ADduction
N: femoral and obturator nerves

adductor longus

O: pubic tubercle
I: linea aspera on middle femur
A: hip ADduction and hip internal rotation
N: obturator nerve

adductor brevis

O: inferior pubic ramus
I: inferior aspect of pectineal line and medial lip of linea aspera
A: hip ADduction

N: obturator nerve