Anterior Hip & Pelvis Muscular Anatomy Handout

(Osika, 2019)
Iliopsoas group
● Muscles: iliacus, psoas major
● Origin:
○ Psoas major:Vertebral bodies of T12-L4, Intervertebral discs between T12-L4,
Transverse processes of L1-L5 vertebrae
○ Iliacus:Iliac fossa
● Insertion:
○ Psoas major:
○ Iliacus:
● Main function: flexion of
the trunk and thigh
● Innervation site: anterior
rami of spinal nerves L1-L3
Hip adductors
● Muscles: Adductor longus,
adductor brevis, adductor
magnus, and adductor
minimus
● Origin:
○ Longus: anterior
body of pubis
○ Brevis: anterior
body of pubis,
inferior pubic ramus
○ Magnus:
■ Adductor
section: interior pubic ramus, ischial ramus
■ Ischiocondylar section: ischial tuberosity
○ Minimums: Inferior pubic ramus
● Insertion:
○ Longus: Linea aspera of femur (medial lip)
○ Brevis: Linea aspera of femur (medial lip)
○ Magnus:
■ Adductor section: Gluteal tuberosity, Linea aspera (medial lip), Medial
supracondylar line
■ Ischiocondylar section: Adductor tubercle of femur
○ Minimums: Gluteal tuberosity of femur
● Main function: thigh flexion, thigh adduction, thigh external rotation
● Innervation site: Obturator nerve (L2-L4), Sciatic nerve (ischiocondylar section of
adductor magnus)
Quadriceps femoris: Composed of 4 individual muscles that all cross the joint (also hip for
rectus femoris) and are innervated by the femoral nerve , known as the strongest muscle of
the human body .
● Origin:
○ Rectus femoris: anterior inferior iliac spine, supraacetabular groove
 ○ Vastus medialis:
intertrochanteric line, pectineal
line of femur, linea aspera,
medial supracondylar line of
femur
○ Vastus lateralis:
intertrochanteric line, greater
trochanter, gluteal tuberosity,
linea aspera of femur
○ Vastus intermedius: anterior
surface of femoral shaft
● Insertions:
○ Rectus femoris and vastus
intermedius: tibial tuberosity
(via patellar ligament), patella
○ Vastus lateralis: tibial tuberosity (via patellar ligament), patella, (lateral
condyle of tibia)
○ Vastus medialis: tibial tuberosity (via patellar ligament), patella, (medial
condyle of tibia)
○ Vastus intermedius: lateral condyle of tibia
● Function: Hip flexion (rectus femoris only) and knee extension
● Innervation site: Femoral nerve (L2-L4)

Sartorius: Longest muscle in the human body,

● Origin: anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS)
● Insertion: proximal end of tibia below medial condyle (via pes anserinus)
● Function: thigh flexion, thigh abduction, thigh external rotation ( at the knee joint: leg
flexion, leg internal rotation)
● Innervation Site: Femoral nerve (L2-L3)
Pectineus: Most superior hip adductor
● Origin superior pubic ramus (Pectineal line of pubis)
● Insertion: pectineal line of femur, Linea aspera of femur
● Function: thigh flexion, thigh adduction, thigh external rotation, thigh internal rotation
● Innervation Site: femoral nerve (L2-L3)
Gracilis
● Origin: anterior body of pubis, Inferior pubic ramus, Ischial ramus
● Insertion: medial surface of proximal tibia (via pes anserinus)
● Function: Thigh flexion, Thigh adduction
● Innervation Site: obturator nerve (L2-L3)
Other information:
The femoral triangle is an anatomical landmark that is created by the pectineus and
the adductor longus. The medial margin of the pectineus forms the lateral border while the
lateral margin of the adductor longus forms the medial border and together they form the
bottom which completes the triangle . Because no muscles form its roof, it can be used as a
point of central venous access, this is important because the triangle contains femoral nerve,
femoral artery, femoral vein, and deep inguinal lymph nodes.
ROMS of the hip
Work Cited

Drake, R. L., Vogl, A. W. & Mitchell, A. W. M. (2015). Gray’s Anatomy for Students

(3rd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Churchill Livingstone.

Osika, A. (2019). Inner hip muscles. Kenhub.

https://www.kenhub.com/en/library/anatomy/hip-and-thigh-muscles

Rehab My Patient, (2016). Hip Flexion and Extension [Video]. Youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6OPHJaEfXA

Rehab My Patient, (2016). Hip Internal Rotation [Video]. Youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7ZTueZtQCY
Rice, L. (2016, July 6). Hip Flexor Exercises. MyFoodDiary; MyFoodDiary.

https://www.myfooddiary.com/blog/hip-flexor-exercises