Adductor Brevis

Authors

Affiliations

Nate Yomogida, B.S., SPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy

B.S. in Kinesiology

Chloë Kerstein, B.S., SPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy

B.A. in Neuroscience

Deep muscles of the medial thigh¹

Figure 1: Hip and Thigh Muscles²

Reading list

• Ch59 Adductor Longus, Adductor Brevis, Adductor Magnus, Pectineus, and Gracilis Muscles³
• Neuman⁴
• MMT⁵

Muscle	Origin	Insertion	Innervation	Action
Adductor brevis	Inferior pubic ramus	Linea aspera	Obturator n. L2 - L3	Hip: Adduction, Flexion, Extension Pelvis: Frontal stabilization, Sagittal stabilization

Origin

• Inferior pubic ramus⁶

Insertion

Femur (linea aspera, medial lip in the middle third of the femur)⁶

Innervation

Obturator N. (L2, L3)⁶

Action

• Hip joint: adduction and flexion (up to 70°); extension (past 80° of flexion)
• Pelvic Stabilization: Coronal and Sagittal planes

Note

According to Brad Jones, the adductor brevis is a hip flexor until 50° Hip flexion, at which point it acts as a hip extensor⁷.

Overview

1.

Gray H. Anatomy of the Human Body. 20th ed. (Lewis WH, ed.). Lea & Febiger; 1918. https://www.bartleby.com/107/

2.

Betts JG, Blaker W. Anatomy and Physiology. 2nd ed. OpenStax; 2022. https://openstax.org/details/books/anatomy-and-physiology-2e/?Book%20details

3.

Donnelly JM, Simons DG, eds. Travell, Simons & Simons’ Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual. Third edition. Wolters Kluwer Health; 2019.

4.

Neumann DA, Kelly ER, Kiefer CL, Martens K, Grosz CM. Kinesiology of the Musculoskeletal System: Foundations for Rehabilitation. 3rd ed. Elsevier; 2017.

5.

Weinstock D. NeuroKinetic Therapy: An Innovative Approach to Manual Muscle Testing. North Atlantic Books; 2010.

6.

Gilroy AM, MacPherson BR, Wikenheiser JC, Voll MM, Wesker K, Schünke M, eds. Atlas of Anatomy. 4th ed. Thieme; 2020.

7.

Jones B. B Project Foundations. b Project; 2025.