Lower limb
Adductor magnus
Musculus adductor magnus
- Origin
- Inferior ramus of the pubic bone, ischial ramus and ischial tuberosity
- Insertion
- Linea aspera, medial supracondylar line and adductor tubercle of the femur
- Function
- Powerful hip adductor; the adductor part flexes the hip, the hamstring part (from the ischial tuberosity) extends the hip
- Innervation
- Adductor part: obturator nerve (L2-L4); hamstring part: tibial part of the sciatic nerve (L4)
- Movement & chain
- Functions as a two-part muscle: the anterior part works synergistically with the other adductors, while the posterior (hamstring) part works together with semitendinosus and semimembranosus in hip extension.
- Palpation
- Large muscle belly palpable along the medial and posteromedial thigh; the distal tendon is distinctly palpable leading to the adductor tubercle.
- Clinical
- Adductor hiatus transmits the femoral vessels to the popliteal fossa; entrapment can cause lower limb vascular compromise. Severe adductor tears in forceful abduction trauma.
- Segmental innervation
- Obturator nerve L2-L4 (adductor part); tibial nerve L4 (hamstring part).
- In clinical practice
- The adductor canal, bounded by this muscle, is a commonly used injection site for regional anesthesia (adductor canal block) in knee surgery.
- Region in the model
- Lower limb