Pectineus

Thighs

Origin: Pectineal line of the pubis
Insertion: Pectineal line of the femur, below the lesser trochanter
Action: Adducts and flexes the hip
Nerve supply: Femoral nerve (L2–L3) and sometimes obturator nerve (L2–L3)

A short, flat muscle at the top of the inner thigh, between the iliopsoas and the adductor longus. It both pulls the thigh inward and lifts it forward.

Also works in

Exercises listed for the hip adductors as a whole

Pectineus anatomy page →

Exercises that train the pectineus

Hanging leg raise — assists

Exercises listed for the hip adductors as a whole

Hip adduction — main mover
Barbell hip thrust — assists

Other parts of the hip adductors

Adductor longus
Adductor brevis
Adductor magnus
Adductor minimus
Gracilis

Sources

OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology 2e, 11.6 Appendicular Muscles of the Pelvic Girdle and Lower Limbs
Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body, 20th ed. (1918), p. 474

Last updated 18 October 2026. For education only — not medical advice, and not reviewed by a clinician.