The adductor brevis is the shortest of the three named adductors, lying deep to the adductor longus and superficial to the adductor magnus. It inserts on the upper femoral shaft rather than the more distal linea aspera of the other adductors, making it primarily an adductor with a modest hip flexion contribution. It is rarely injured in isolation and most adductor injuries involve the adductor longus rather than the brevis.
| Origin | Body and inferior ramus of the pubis |
|---|---|
| Insertion | Upper third of the medial lip of the linea aspera and the pectineal line of the femur |
| Nerve Supply | Obturator nerve (L2, L3, L4) |
| Blood Supply | Deep femoral artery |
| Actions | Adduction of the hip; Assists in flexion of the hip; Assists in medial rotation of the hip |
|---|
Its proximal femoral insertion limits its mechanical advantage compared to the adductor longus and magnus, making it a secondary contributor to adduction that provides more consistent force across the full hip range than its more distal counterparts.
Adductor brevis strains are uncommon in isolation and usually accompany adductor longus injuries in the medial thigh compartment. The obturator nerve divides into anterior and posterior branches around the adductor brevis, with the anterior branch passing in front and the posterior branch behind, making the muscle a useful landmark in obturator nerve anatomy.
The adductor brevis is not directly palpable as it lies deep to the adductor longus. It is assessed as part of the medial thigh adductor group during resisted hip adduction.
Rare isolated muscle tear producing deep medial groin pain, usually identified on MRI when adductor longus injury is being assessed and showing as a secondary finding.
