Medial Thigh Muscles Flashcards
What are the muscles in the medial compartment of the thigh collectively known as?
The hip adductors
What muscles are in the medial compartment of the thigh?
Gracilis Obturator externus Adductor brevis Adductor longus Adductor magnus
What are all medial thigh muscles innervated by?
The obturator nerve
What does the obturator nerve arise from?
The lumbar plexus
What is the arterial supply for the medial thigh muscles?
Obturator artery
What is the largest muscle in the medial compartment?
The adductor magnus
Where does the adductor magus lie?
Posteriorly to the other muscles
What can the adductor magnus be functionally divided?
Into the adductor part and the hamstring part
What is the innervation of the adductor part of the adductor magus?
Branches of the posterior division of obturator nerve (L2, L3, L4)
What is the hamstring part of the adductor magnus innervated by?
The tibial part of the sciatic nerve
What is the main action of the adductor magnus as a whole?
Adducts thigh
What is the main action of the adductor magnus?
Flexes thigh
What is the main action of the hamstring part of the adductor magnus?
Extends thigh
What shape is the adductor longus?
Large, flat
What does the adductor longus cover?
Partially, the adductor brevis and magnus
What does the adductor longus form?
The medial border of the femoral triange
What is the innervation of the adductor longus?
Branches of anterior division of obturator nerve (L2, L3, L4)
What is the main action of the adductor longus?
Adducts thigh
Where does the adductor brevis lie?
Underneath the adductor longus
Between the anterior and posterior divisions of the obturator nerve
What can the adductor brevis be used as clinically?
A landmark to identify the divisons of the obturator nerve
What is the innervation of the adductor brevis?
Branches of the anterior division of the obturator nerve (L2, L3, L4)
What is the main action of the adductor brevis?
Adducts thigh
To some extent, flexes thigh
Where is the obturator externus located?
Most superiorly
What is the innervation of the obturator externus?
Obturator nerve (L3, L4)
What is the main action of the obturator externus?
Laterally rotates the thigh
Steadies the head of the femur in the acetabulum
Where does the gracilis lie?
Most superficial and medial of the muscles in the compartment
Where does the gracilis cross?
Both the hip and the knee joints
Where can the gracilis sometimes be transplanted?
Into the hand or forearm to replace a damaged muscle
What is the innervation of the gracilis?
Obturator nerve (L2, L3)
What is the main function of the gracilis?
Adducts thigh
Flexes leg
Helps rotate the leg medially
What is strain the adductor muscles the underlying cause of?
What is colloquially known as ‘groin strain’
What usually happens in ‘groin stain’?
The proximal part of the muscles are not affected, tearing near their bony attachments in the pelvis
How should muscle strains be treated?
Rest, ice, compression and elevation
