In human anatomy, the adductor minimus (adductor femoris minimus or adductor quartus) is a small and flat skeletal muscle in the

thigh In human anatomy, the thigh is the area between the hip ( pelvis) and the knee. Anatomically, it is part of the lower limb. The single bone in the thigh is called the femur. This bone is very thick and strong (due to the high proportion of ...

which constitutes the upper, lateral part of the

adductor magnus muscle Adductor may refer to: * One of the anatomical terms of motion * Adductor muscle (disambiguation) * Adductor canal The adductor canal, also known as the subsartorial canal or Hunter’s canal, is an aponeurotic tunnel in the middle third of the t ...

.Bergman, Ronald A.; Afifi, Adel K.; Miyauchi, Ryosuke (2010)
''Adductor Minimus (Henle, Günther)''
Anatomy Atlases It adducts and laterally rotates the femur.

Structure

The adductor minimus originates on the pelvis at the

inferior ramus of the pubis In vertebrates, the pubic region ( la, pubis) is the most forward-facing (ventral and anterior) of the three main regions making up the coxal bone. The left and right pubic regions are each made up of three sections, a superior ramus, inferior ra ...

as the anterior-most part of the adductor magnus. It is inserted on the back of the

femur The femur (; ), or thigh bone, is the proximal bone of the hindlimb in tetrapod vertebrates. The head of the femur articulates with the acetabulum in the pelvic bone forming the hip joint, while the distal part of the femur articulates wit ...

at the medial lip of the ''

linea aspera The linea aspera ( la, rough line) is a ridge of roughened surface on the posterior surface of the shaft of the femur. It is the site of attachments of muscles and the intermuscular septum. Its margins diverge above and below. The linea aspera ...

'' and thus crosses the proximal part of the true adductor magnus.Platzer, Werner (2004),
Color Atlas of Human Anatomy, Vol. 1, Locomotor System
', Thieme, 5th ed, p 242 The adductor minimus and the adductor magnus are frequently separated by a branch of the superior perforating branch of the

profunda femoris artery The deep artery of the thigh, (profunda femoris artery or deep femoral artery) is a large branch of the femoral artery. It travels more deeply (posteriorly) than the rest of the femoral artery. Structure The deep artery of the thigh branches of ...

and the former muscle is considered independent from the latter because it is primarily a separate entity.

Innervation

It shares innervation with the adductor magnus; the

obturator nerve The obturator nerve in human anatomy arises from the ventral divisions of the second, third, and fourth lumbar nerves in the lumbar plexus; the branch from the third is the largest, while that from the second is often very small. Structure The o ...

supplies the part attached to the ''linea aspera'' while the

tibial nerve The tibial nerve is a branch of the sciatic nerve. The tibial nerve passes through the popliteal fossa to pass below the arch of soleus. Structure Popliteal fossa The tibial nerve is the larger terminal branch of the sciatic nerve with root val ...

(L3-5), a branch of the sciatic nerve, supplies the part inserted onto adductor tubercle.

Variation

In 33% of people a

supernumerary Supernumerary means "exceeding the usual number". Supernumerary may also refer to: * Supernumerary actor, a performer in a film, television show, or stage production who has no role or purpose other than to appear in the background, more commonl ...

muscle is found between the adductor brevis and minimus. When present, this muscle originates from the upper part of the

from where it runs downwards and laterally. In half of cases, it inserts into the anterior surface of the insertion aponeurosis of the adductor minimus. In the remaining cases, it is either inserted into the upper part of the pectineal line or the posterior part of the

lesser trochanter The lesser trochanter is a conical posteromedial bony projection of the femoral shaft. it serves as the principal insertion site of the iliopsoas muscle. Structure The lesser trochanter is a conical posteromedial projection of the shaft of the fe ...

. While similar to its neighbouring adductors, it is formed by separation from the superficial layer of the

obturator externus The external obturator muscle, obturator externus muscle (; OE) is a flat, triangular muscle, which covers the outer surface of the anterior wall of the pelvis. It is sometimes considered part of the medial compartment of thigh, and sometimes c ...

, and is thus not ontogenetically related to the adductors.

References

{{Authority control Hip adductors Thigh muscles Medial compartment of thigh