The great adductor
Adductor magnus · musculus adductor magnus
The largest inner-thigh muscle, part adductor and part hamstring.
What it does
The adductor magnus is a large triangular muscle running from the pelvis to the length of the femur. Its front part pulls the thigh inwards, while its back part straightens the hip like a hamstring. A gap near its lower end lets the main thigh artery pass to the back of the knee.
Surprising fact
It is supplied by two different nerves, one for its adductor part and one for its hamstring part, a clue that it evolved from more than one muscle.
Why it matters
It helps power the push of a squat and the stride of running, and it is a major muscle of the inner thigh that riders use to grip a horse.
Nearby
Read more
Sources
Drafted with AI help; awaiting a human fact-check against these sources.
Open in the 3D atlas · Suggest a correction · Not medical advice.
3D models: Z-Anatomy & BodyParts3D (CC BY-SA 4.0 / 2.1 JP). Card text CC BY 4.0.