The adductor longus is the most anterior and superficial of the medial thigh adductors, forming the medial border of the femoral triangle where the femoral vessels can be palpated. It is the most commonly strained adductor in sport, and its proximal attachment at the pubis is the typical site of both acute adductor tears and chronic athletic pubalgia in footballers, ice hockey players, and sprinters.
| Origin | Anterior body of the pubis just below the pubic crest |
|---|---|
| Insertion | Middle third of the medial lip of the linea aspera of the femur |
| Nerve Supply | Obturator nerve (L2, L3, L4) |
| Blood Supply | Deep femoral artery via perforating branches |
| Actions | Adduction of the hip; Assists in hip flexion; Assists in medial rotation of the hip |
|---|
During cutting and sprinting it works eccentrically to control hip abduction as the leg swings wide and concentrically to return it toward midline, a dual role that explains the high strain rate during sudden direction changes when both demands peak simultaneously.
Adductor longus strains are the most common groin injury in football and ice hockey, usually occurring at the proximal musculotendinous junction during forceful abduction of an adducting leg. The squeeze test, resisting hip adduction with the hips and knees flexed to 45 degrees, is the primary clinical provocation. Chronic adductor tendinopathy at the pubic attachment is a component of athletic pubalgia, which involves a complex of adductor, inguinal floor, and rectus abdominis pathology.
The adductor longus forms the palpable medial border of the femoral triangle as a firm ridge running from the pubic body obliquely into the thigh, becoming prominent during resisted hip adduction with the limb slightly flexed.
Tear at the proximal musculotendinous junction from forceful abduction of the adducting leg during cutting or kicking, producing acute medial groin pain and tenderness along the proximal tendon, graded I to III by severity.
Chronic adductor tendinopathy combined with posterior inguinal wall weakness producing deep groin pain worsening with kicking, twisting, and sit-ups, requiring a structured rehabilitation programme and sometimes surgical management.
