Adductor minimus muscle

Radiopaedia • CC-by-nc-sa 3.0 • de

The adductor minimus is a small, variably present muscle in the medial compartment of the thigh.

Summary

  • origin: ischiopubic ramus
  • insertion: medial lip of linea aspera, adductor tubercle 
  • action: adducts, extends and laterally rotates thigh at hip joint
  • arterial supply: medial femoral circumflex artery, first perforating branch of profunda femoris
  • innervation: obturator nerve (part inserting on linea aspera), tibial division of sciatic nerve (part inserting on adductor tubercle)

Gross anatomy

The adductor minimus is considered to be the superior most division of adductor magnus and is variable in its anatomy, being either completely separate, partially or completely fused to the upper border of adductor magnus . The first perforating branch of the profunda femoris artery delineates the inferior border of adductor minimus from the superior border of adductor magnus.