Adductor Function

I just LOVE this muscle!

It does most things other than adduct your hip!! If you lie on the ground on your side and lift you lower leg… sure… your adductors adduct your hip…..BUT during function, it does a fabulous job at not adducting your hip.

They are the adductor brevis, longus, magnus oblique and magnus vertical. The brevis and longus attach onto the posterior medial part of the femur, not just on the medial part as most people talk about.

A great and massively overlooked thing about this group of muscles is that they work with their opposite adductors. The right and left adductors are turned on in gait (differently) but at the same time.

If the right leg is forward the right adductors are stretched in the sagittal plane and they slow hip flexion. They are lengthened in the transverse plane (TP) and they help to internally rotate the femur. They are also shortened in the frontal plane (FP) with hip adduction.

As we walk, and as the left leg swings forward, the right leg becomes the back leg and the right adductors are lengthened by hip extension (posterior medial attachment). They are then lengthened in the FP by the pelvis leaning towards to the left leg causing hip adduction. It is then shortened in the TP are they externally rotate the femur. The facilitates top-down external rotation of the tibia and calcaneal inversion…. and locks out the mid tarsals ready for push off!

As I have said – both sets of adductors work as a pair…. The right adductor works with the left adductor to slow the movement of the pelvis to the left and visa versa. If the adductors and tight in any plane, they will inhibit other planes.

But they can also be responsible for other dysfunction. If the adductors are short or not permitting good function, your pelvis will be unable to move correctly in 3 planes of motion and so your lower back, mid back or neck may take the hit instead. You might end up seeing someone for your back pain all because of you adductors. This is why it is SO important to not always treat the symptom, but to go to the cause!!

If you have just injured yourself (especially after the marathon) or need to be assessed for injury or need treating, do give us a call at Back to Back on