Pectineus

Current author - Roxanne Salkeld

Last updated: January 7, 2023 •
6 Revisions •

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Pectineus
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The pectineus is a muscle in the anterior compartment of the thigh. It is a flat, quadrangular-shaped muscle, which contributes to the floor of the femoral triangle.

  • Attachments: Originates from the pectineal line of the pubis bone. It inserts onto the pectineal line on the posterior aspect of the femur, immediately inferior to the lesser trochanter.
  • Actions: Adduction and flexion at the hip joint.
  • Innervation: Femoral nerve (may also receive a branch from the obturator nerve).
  • Blood supply: Medial circumflex femoral artery, femoral artery and obturator artery.
Illustration of the anterior thigh muscles, color-coded with a legend identifying psoas major, iliacus, rectus femoris, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, sartorius, and pectineus.

Fig 1
The muscles of the anterior thigh.

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