Medial Thigh Muscles

Question 1

What are the muscles in the medial compartment of the thigh collectively known as?

Answer 1

The hip adductors

Question 2

What muscles are in the medial compartment of the thigh?

Answer 2

Gracilis
 Obturator externus
 Adductor brevis
 Adductor longus
 Adductor magnus

Question 3

What are all medial thigh muscles innervated by?

Answer 3

The obturator nerve

Question 4

What does the obturator nerve arise from?

Answer 4

The lumbar plexus

Question 5

What is the arterial supply for the medial thigh muscles?

Answer 5

Obturator artery

Question 6

What is the largest muscle in the medial compartment?

Answer 6

The adductor magnus

Question 7

Where does the adductor magus lie?

Answer 7

Posteriorly to the other muscles

Question 8

What can the adductor magnus be functionally divided?

Answer 8

Into the adductor part and the hamstring part

Question 9

What is the innervation of the adductor part of the adductor magus?

Answer 9

Branches of the posterior division of obturator nerve (L2, L3, L4)

Question 10

What is the hamstring part of the adductor magnus innervated by?

Answer 10

The tibial part of the sciatic nerve

Question 11

What is the main action of the adductor magnus as a whole?

Answer 11

Adducts thigh

Question 12

What is the main action of the adductor magnus?

Answer 12

Flexes thigh

Question 13

What is the main action of the hamstring part of the adductor magnus?

Answer 13

Extends thigh

Question 14

What shape is the adductor longus?

Answer 14

Large, flat

Question 15

What does the adductor longus cover?

Answer 15

Partially, the adductor brevis and magnus

Question 16

What does the adductor longus form?

Answer 16

The medial border of the femoral triange

Question 17

What is the innervation of the adductor longus?

Answer 17

Branches of anterior division of obturator nerve (L2, L3, L4)

Question 18

What is the main action of the adductor longus?

Answer 18

Adducts thigh

Question 19

Where does the adductor brevis lie?

Answer 19

Underneath the adductor longus

Between the anterior and posterior divisions of the obturator nerve

Question 20

What can the adductor brevis be used as clinically?

Answer 20

A landmark to identify the divisons of the obturator nerve

Question 21

What is the innervation of the adductor brevis?

Answer 21

Branches of the anterior division of the obturator nerve (L2, L3, L4)

Question 22

What is the main action of the adductor brevis?

Answer 22

Adducts thigh

To some extent, flexes thigh

Question 23

Where is the obturator externus located?

Answer 23

Most superiorly

Question 24

What is the innervation of the obturator externus?

Answer 24

Obturator nerve (L3, L4)

Question 25

What is the main action of the obturator externus?

Answer 25

Laterally rotates the thigh

Steadies the head of the femur in the acetabulum

Question 26

Where does the gracilis lie?

Answer 26

Most superficial and medial of the muscles in the compartment

Question 27

Where does the gracilis cross?

Answer 27

Both the hip and the knee joints

Question 28

Where can the gracilis sometimes be transplanted?

Answer 28

Into the hand or forearm to replace a damaged muscle

Question 29

What is the innervation of the gracilis?

Answer 29

Obturator nerve (L2, L3)

Question 30

What is the main function of the gracilis?

Answer 30

Adducts thigh
Flexes leg
Helps rotate the leg medially

Question 31

What is strain the adductor muscles the underlying cause of?

Answer 31

What is colloquially known as ‘groin strain’

Question 32

What usually happens in ‘groin stain’?

Answer 32

The proximal part of the muscles are not affected, tearing near their bony attachments in the pelvis

Question 33

How should muscle strains be treated?

Answer 33

Rest, ice, compression and elevation