Adductor longus muscle
Encyclopedia
In the human body
, the adductor longus is a skeletal muscle
located in the thigh
. One of the adductor muscles of the hip
, its main function is to adduct
the thigh and it is innervated by the obturator nerve
. It forms the medial wall of the femoral triangle
.
.
It lies ventrally on the adductor magnus, and near the femur, the adductor brevis is interposed between these two muscles. Distally, the fibers of the adductor longus extend into the adductor canal
.
It is inserted into the middle third of the medial lip of the linea aspera
.
, and near its insertion with the femoral artery
and vein
.
By its posterior surface with the adductor brevis and magnus, the anterior branches of the obturator artery
, vein, and nerves
, and near its insertion with the profunda artery
and vein
.
By its outer border with the pectineus, and by the inner border with the gracilis
.
. The obturator nerve exits via the anterior rami of the spinal cord
from L2, L3, and L4.
Human body
The human body is the entire structure of a human organism, and consists of a head, neck, torso, two arms and two legs.By the time the human reaches adulthood, the body consists of close to 100 trillion cells, the basic unit of life...
, the adductor longus is a skeletal muscle
Skeletal muscle
Skeletal muscle is a form of striated muscle tissue existing under control of the somatic nervous system- i.e. it is voluntarily controlled. It is one of three major muscle types, the others being cardiac and smooth muscle...
located in the thigh
Thigh
In humans the thigh is the area between the pelvis and the knee. Anatomically, it is part of the lower limb.The single bone in the thigh is called the femur...
. One of the adductor muscles of the hip
Adductor muscles of the hip
In human anatomy, the adductor muscles of the hip is a group of muscles of the thigh.-Muscles:The adductor group is made up of:*Adductor brevis*Adductor longus*Adductor magnus*Adductor minimus This is often considered to be a part of adductor magnus....
, its main function is to adduct
Adduction
Adduction is a movement which brings a part of the anatomy closer to the middle sagittal plane of the body. It is opposed to abduction.-Upper limb:* of arm at shoulder ** Subscapularis** Teres major** Pectoralis major** Infraspinatus...
the thigh and it is innervated by the obturator nerve
Obturator nerve
The obturator nerve in human anatomy arises from the ventral divisions of the second, third, and fourth lumbar nerves; the branch from the third is the largest, while that from the second is often very small.-Path:...
. It forms the medial wall of the femoral triangle
Femoral triangle
The femoral triangle is an anatomical region of the upper inner human thigh.-Boundaries:It is bounded by:* the inguinal ligament* the medial border of the adductor longus muscle...
.
Origin and insertion
The adductor longus arises from the superior ramus of the pubisSuperior pubic ramus
The superior pubic ramus is a part of the pubic bone which forms a portion of the obturator foramen.It extends from the body to the median plane where it articulates with its fellow of the opposite side...
.
It lies ventrally on the adductor magnus, and near the femur, the adductor brevis is interposed between these two muscles. Distally, the fibers of the adductor longus extend into the adductor canal
Adductor canal
The adductor canal is an aponeurotic tunnel in the middle third of the thigh, extending from the apex of the femoral triangle to the opening in the Adductor magnus, the Adductor hiatus.-Boundary:...
.
It is inserted into the middle third of the medial lip of the linea aspera
Linea aspera
The linea aspera is a ridge of roughened surface on the posterior aspect of the femur, to which are attached muscles and intermuscular septum.Its margins diverge above and below....
.
Relations
The adductor longus is in relation by its anterior surface with the pubic portion of the fascia lataFascia lata
-Thickness:It is an investment for the whole of the thigh, but varies in thickness in different parts.Thus, it is thicker in the upper and lateral part of the thigh, where it receives a fibrous expansion from the Glutæus maximus, and where the Tensor fasciæ latæ is inserted between its layers; it...
, and near its insertion with the femoral artery
Femoral artery
The femoral artery is a general term comprising a few large arteries in the thigh. They begin at the inguinal ligament and end just above the knee at adductor canal or Hunter's canal traversing the extent of the femur bone....
and vein
Femoral vein
In the human body, the femoral vein is a blood vessel that accompanies the femoral artery in the femoral sheath. It begins at the adductor canal and is a continuation of the popliteal vein...
.
By its posterior surface with the adductor brevis and magnus, the anterior branches of the obturator artery
Obturator artery
The obturator artery is a branch of the internal iliac artery that passes antero-inferiorly on the lateral wall of the pelvis, to the upper part of the obturator foramen, and, escaping from the pelvic cavity through the obturator canal, it divides into both an anterior and a posterior...
, vein, and nerves
Obturator nerve
The obturator nerve in human anatomy arises from the ventral divisions of the second, third, and fourth lumbar nerves; the branch from the third is the largest, while that from the second is often very small.-Path:...
, and near its insertion with the profunda artery
Profunda femoris artery
The profunda femoris artery is a branch of the femoral artery that, as its name suggests, travels more deeply than the rest of the femoral artery.-Structure:...
and vein
Profunda femoris vein
Profunda femoris vein is a large deep vein in the thigh. It receives blood from the inner thigh and proceeds superiorly and medially running alongside the profunda femoris artery to join with the femoral vein approximately at the level of the inferior-most portion of the ischial tuberosity....
.
By its outer border with the pectineus, and by the inner border with the gracilis
Gracilis muscle
The gracilis is the most superficial muscle on the medial side of the thigh. It is thin and flattened, broad above, narrow and tapering below.-Origin and insertion:...
.
Actions
Its main actions is to adduct and laterally rotate the femur; it can also produce some degree of flexion/anteversion.Innervation
As part of the medial compartment of the thigh, the adductor longus is innervated by the anterior division (sometimes the posterior division) of the obturator nerveObturator nerve
The obturator nerve in human anatomy arises from the ventral divisions of the second, third, and fourth lumbar nerves; the branch from the third is the largest, while that from the second is often very small.-Path:...
. The obturator nerve exits via the anterior rami of the spinal cord
Spinal cord
The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular bundle of nervous tissue and support cells that extends from the brain . The brain and spinal cord together make up the central nervous system...
from L2, L3, and L4.