Pectineus Muscle

The pectineus is a muscle in your thigh that helps you move your hips and knees. You have one on either side of your pelvis. They’re in the group of muscles called your hip flexors. These are the muscles where your thigh meets your hip.

The pectineus is small compared to bigger thigh muscles, like your hamstrings or quads. But it still plays a big role in helping you move and use your legs.

Thigh muscle injuries (including your pectineus) are common. Visit a healthcare provider if you have pain in your thigh or groin that lasts for more than a few days.

Pectineus function

The pectineus works with your other hip flexors to move and rotate your hips. It helps with two main actions:

• Hip adduction: This is moving your hips in, toward the center of your body.
• Hip flexion: This is flexing your hips. It’s the motion that helps you lift your knees up, toward your chest.

Your other hip flexors help with multiple motions, too. But only the pectineus works on both of these movements.

Where is it located?

The pectineus is at the front of your thigh, right by your pelvis. The top connects to your pelvis near your pubic bone. It runs at an angle away from the center of your body to the top of your thigh bone (femur). It wraps behind your femur and connects on the back side.

Healthcare providers group muscles together in sets called compartments. Because they’re right on the border of two compartments, the pectineus muscles are sometimes put in both groups. Some group them in the medial (inner) compartment of thigh muscles. Others put them in the anterior (front) compartment. You’ll probably never need to know or worry about this unless you’re studying muscles. Your healthcare provider will walk you through all these terms if you have an issue with your pectineus muscles.

What does it look like?

The pectineus muscle is flat. It has four sides and is shaped sort of like a rectangle with rounded corners.

What are the common conditions and disorders that affect pectineus muscles?

Strains are by far the most common pectineus muscle issue. A muscle strain happens when a sudden force stretches a muscle farther than its limit. The thousands of tiny fibers that make up the muscle can be stretched apart or torn.

Hip flexor strains are common sports injuries. Any sudden movement that overstretches your pectineus can cause one. Strains can happen if you kick, twist or jerk your leg suddenly.

Injuries are more common if your muscles are tight. Or if you do a lot of physical activity suddenly. You can protect your pectineus muscles with a few simple steps:

• Stretch before physical activity or workouts. This gives your muscles time to “wake up” so you don’t suddenly put a lot of force on them.
• Cool down after activities. Stretching after a workout, physical work or sports can help your muscles return to their resting state when you’re done using them.
• Ease into new sports or activities. Try to avoid suddenly increasing how active you are. Make sure you learn the right techniques for any new workout or sport you’re trying.

Signs/symptoms that something isn’t working right

Pain in your hip, thigh or groin is the most common sign of a strained pectineus. You might also notice:

• Stiffness
• Tenderness
• Swelling
• Bruising

Visit a healthcare provider if you have pain or other symptoms that last for more than a few days. See a provider if symptoms make it hard to move or use your hips. Don’t push through pain or other symptoms. This can make a minor strain into a more serious issue.