The pectineus muscle is a flat, quadrangular muscle, situated at the anterior part of the upper and medial aspect of the thigh.

It can be classified in the medial compartment of thigh (when the function is emphasized) or the anterior compartment of thigh (when the nerve is emphasized).

Action

It is one of the muscles primarily responsible for hip flexion. It also adducts and medially rotates the thigh.

Innervation

Innervation is by the femoral nerve (L2 and L3) and occasionally a branch of the obturator nerve.

Origin and insertion

It arises from the pectineal line of the pubis and to a slight extent from the surface of bone in front of it, between the iliopectineal eminence and tubercle of the pubis, and from the fascia covering the anterior surface of the muscle; the fibers pass downward, backward, and lateralward, to be inserted into a the pectineal line of the femur which leads from the lesser trochanter to the linea aspera.

Additional images

References

External links

• - "Muscles of the anterior (extensor) compartment of the thigh."
• - "Deep muscles of the anterior thigh."