The pectineus is the only adductor muscle that is innervated by the femoral nerve.

The other adductor muscles are innervated by the obturator nerve[1] with the exception of a small part of the adductor magnus which is innervated by the tibial nerve.

When present, this muscle originates from the upper part of the inferior ramus of the pubis from where it runs downwards and laterally.

[5] An adductor tenotomy (cutting the origin tendons of the adductor muscles of the thigh) and obturator neurectomy (cutting the anterior branch of the obturator nerve) are sometimes performed on children with cerebral palsy.

These children often have hypertonia of the adductor muscles, making abduction difficult, obstructing normal hip development, and putting them at risk of hip luxation.