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Adductor brevis

Contents

Anatomy

 

Adductor brevis - anterior view
Adductor brevis - posterior view
Adductor brevis - anterior view

General information

  • This section is strictly limited to anatomy, you might be looking for clinical relevant information which is found under the clinical chapters -- muscles section, click here to go to that page
  • Part of the thighs medial muscle group

Position

  • Deep to adductor longus
  • Superficial to adductor magnus

Origin

  • Ramus inferior pubis

Insertion

  • Linea aspera femur, proximal 1/2

Main function

  • Hip
    • Adduction
    • Flexion
  • Pelvis
    • Anterior tilt

Secondary function

  • Pelvis
    • Elevation

Nerve innervation

  • Segmental
    • L2-L3
  • Peripheral
    • Nervus obturatorius

Arterial supply

  • Deep part of the femoral artery
  • Obturator artery

Palpation

  • Patient position: Supine
  • Adductor brevis may be difficult to seperate from the other adductors of the groin
  • Locate and palpate towards the proximal part of the adductor longus tendon
  • Palpate just lateral and deep for this tendon until you locate the adductor brevis
  • To further outline the tendon, ask the patient to adduct the hip while you palpate

Strength test

  • Patient position: Side-lying
    • The leg which is being tested is the lower leg
  • Ask the patient to keep the body straight
  • Grab the patient's upper leg and help him keep it at an abducted postion throughout the test
  • Ask the patient to lift the lower leg up from the bench so that the lower hip is adducted
  • Meanwhile, hold the patient's lower leg medial on the femur just proximal to the knee-joint to give resistance towards abduction, while the patient is giving force towards adduction
  • NB! Make sure that the pelvis is not rotating forwards or that is tipping anteriorly
    • Forward rotation will give more pressure towards the lower fibers of the gluteus maximus
    • Anterior tilt will lead to the hip flexors compensating for the movement