The adductor longus muscle is a large triangular-shaped muscle located in the medial compartment of the thigh and belongs to the hip adductors muscle group. The muscle forms the floor of the femoral triangle.
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Summary
origin: body of pubis (inferior to pubic crest and lateral to pubic symphysis)
insertion: linea aspera on middle one-third of shaft of femur
action: adducts and medially rotates thigh at hip joint
blood supply: profunda femoris (deep femoral) and obturator arteries
innervation: obturator nerve (L2-L4)
Gross anatomy
Relations
The adductor longus muscle is found anterior to the adductor magnus, adductor brevis, anterior branch of the obturator nerve, and deep femoral vessels. It lies lateral to the gracilis and medial to the pectineus. The spermatic cord and fascia lata are situated anterosuperiorly to the adductor longus, while the femoral artery and vein are found in the anteroinferior aspect of the muscle near its attachment.
Origin
The muscle originates from the anterior surface of the body of the pubis, inferior to pubic crest and lateral to the pubic symphysis.
Insertion
It inserts onto the middle third of the medial lip of the linea aspera. This insertion point is between the insertion of the adductor magnus and origin of the vastus medialis, and inferior to the insertion of the adductor brevis.
Action
The adductor longus, alongside the adductor group of muscles, aids in thigh adduction, flexion, and external (lateral) rotation at the hip joint. It also supports in stabilizing the pelvis.
Arterial supply
Blood supply to the adductor longus comes from the profunda femoris, a branch of the femoral artery and the obturator artery, a branch of the internal iliac artery.
Innervation
The adductor longus is supplied by the anterior division of the obturator nerve, which arises from the lumbar plexus (L2 - L4).
Clinical Importance
The adductor longus muscle forms the medial/inferior border of the femoral triangle. The superior border is formed by the inguinal ligament, while the lateral border is formed by the sartorius. The femoral nerve, artery and vein run through this triangular region (lateral to medial).
See also
mneumonic for femoral triangle boundaries and contents
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