An adductor is a muscle which draws one part of the body towards another; the term is applied in zoology to one of the muscles which bring together the valves of the shell of the bivalve molluscs. Research Adductor
The adductor magnus is a large triangular muscle that forms a dividing wall between the muscles of the inner thigh and those on the back of the thigh. It is located on the inside of the thigh. This long muscle originates from a narrow point on the pelvisbone (ischiopubic ramus), passes between the masses of the hamstring and quadriceps groups and inserts, at its wide apex, in the linea aspera and on the back of the femur. It is a powerful muscle that adducts the thigh. It is innervated by the obturator and the sciatic nerves and is supplied by the profunda femoris artery. The small, flat uppermost portion of the adductor magnus is called the adductor minimus. These muscles are innervated by the obturator nerve and supplied by branches of the femoral artery. Research Adductor Magnus
The adductor transversus hallucis (adductor hallucis) is a narrow, flat band of muscle tissue that originates from the medial process of the tuber calcanei, the flexor retinaculum, and the plantar aponeurosis. It stretches across the metatarsal bones and lies between the bones and the flexor tendons and inserts in the side of the proximal phalanx of the big toe. The adductor transversus hallucis is innervated by the medial plantar nerve and supplied by the plantar artery. The muscle is named after the direction of its muscle fibres. Research Adductor Transversus Hallucis
The adductor transversus pollicis (adductor pollicis) is a deep muscle that is flat and triangular in form. It passes from the middle of the palm to the thumb. It originates by two heads. One head (caput transversum) originates from the palmar side of the third metacarpal bone and the other head (caput obliquum) originates from the base of the second metacarpal, the trapezium, and the capitate bones. The two heads join and insert in the base of the thumb on the ulnar side. The muscle is innervated by the ulnar nerve and supplied by branches of the ulnar artery. This muscle works with the first dorsal interosseus to grasp objects between the thumb and index finger. Research Adductor Transversus Pollicis
The biceps femoris (biceps flexor cruris) muscle is included with the hamstring muscle group. The biceps femoris is a large muscle comprised of two heads (two points of attachment to the bone), the long head (caput longum) and the short head (caput breve). The long head originates from the tuberosity of the ischium near the semitendinosus muscle and the short head originates from the linea aspera between the adductor magnus and the vastus lateralis muscles. The two muscles converge to a single tendon and insert in the fibula. This common tendon is located on the outer back corner of the knee and forms the outer hamstring. The long head of the biceps femoris is innervated by the tibial nerve and the short head is innervated by the peroneal nerves. This muscle is supplied by a deep branch of the femoral artery, the profunda femoris. Both heads of the muscle flex the lower leg at the knee joint and rotate the tibia outward. The long head also assists with the extension and outward rotation of the thigh at the hip joint, making it a two-joint muscle, while the short head is a single-joint muscle. Research Biceps Femoris
The descending genicular artery is the great knee artery. It branches from the femoral artery near the adductor magnus muscle and supplies the knee joint and surrounding parts. The
descending genicular artery divides into superficial and deep branches. The superficial branch extends along the long saphenous nerve to the inner side of the thigh. The deep branch descend into the vastus internus muscle. Several areteries feed into it, including the medial superior genicular artery, the medial inferior genicular artery, the lateral superior genicular artery, the lateral inferior genicular artery and the anterior tibial artery. Research Descending Genicular Artery
The belly of the flexor digitorum profundus lies on the forearm. It originates from the inner side of the ulna, extends down the forearms and divides into four tendons. These tendons insert in the base of the last (distal) phalanges of the four fingers. A tendon does not insert in the thumb. The
flexor digitorum profundus is innervated by the ulnar and median nerves and supplied the ulnar artery and the radial artery. This muscle is used to flex the fingers, but can do so only after the flexor digitorum superficialis has contracted. The muscle also assists in flexing the wrist. The movement of the fingers, or digits, is achieved by flexor and adductormuscles. The flexors, such as the flexor digitorum superficialis and the flexor digitorum profundus, contract to draw the fingers into a curl. Research Flexor Digitorum Profundus
The hand features a number of ligamentary attachments within it which help facilitate manual flexibility and dexterity. Tendons may be flexor (they contract, causing the hand or fingers to tighten or curl up) or adductor (they contract, causing the hand or fingers to loosen, or straighten out). Therefore, palmar tendons (those on the palm-side of the hand) generally are flexors, while dorsal tendons (on the back of the hand) usually are adductors. Exceptions to this includes the collateral ligaments which help in side-to-side movement of the digits. The ligaments of the fingers are encased in fibrous sheaths of ligamentary material. These sheaths allow contraction of the ligaments without incident friction on the nerves and vessels which surround them. Additionally, where these sheaths meet the joints between phalanges, or between a phalanx and a metacarpal, a large joint capsule may be seen. This joint capsule encloses the joint and any ligaments which may be attached to prominences at the bone ends. Research Ligaments of the Hand
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Adductor
