Which muscle provides hip adduction, flexion, and medial rotation?

Which muscle provides hip adduction, flexion, and medial rotation?

• A. Adductor Longus
• B. Adductor Magnus
• C. Gluteus Medius
• D. Sartorius

Answer: (A)

The actions together point to a muscle in the medial compartment that pulls the thigh toward the midline while also assisting hip flexion and inward rotation. Adductor Longus fits this profile well: it lies on the front part of the medial thigh, and its fibers primarily cause hip adduction. Because it is located anteriorly, it also assists hip flexion, and when the hip is flexed, it can contribute to medial (inward) rotation of the thigh. Adductor Magnus has an adductor part that adducts and can flex, but its other part extends the hip, so it doesn’t consistently provide all three actions together. Gluteus medius mainly abducts the thigh (with medial rotation as a secondary action when the hip is flexed), not adduction. Sartorius flexes the hip and knee and laterally rotates the thigh, but it does not produce hip adduction.

The actions together point to a muscle in the medial compartment that pulls the thigh toward the midline while also assisting hip flexion and inward rotation. Adductor Longus fits this profile well: it lies on the front part of the medial thigh, and its fibers primarily cause hip adduction. Because it is located anteriorly, it also assists hip flexion, and when the hip is flexed, it can contribute to medial (inward) rotation of the thigh.

Adductor Magnus has an adductor part that adducts and can flex, but its other part extends the hip, so it doesn’t consistently provide all three actions together. Gluteus medius mainly abducts the thigh (with medial rotation as a secondary action when the hip is flexed), not adduction. Sartorius flexes the hip and knee and laterally rotates the thigh, but it does not produce hip adduction.