Pectineus Muscle, Lateral View

Description

Seen in lateral profile on a male hip, the pectineus occupies the anteromedial proximal thigh, arising from the superior ramus of the pubis (pecten pubis) and running inferolaterally to its femoral insertion along the pectineal line just inferior to the lesser trochanter. Superior to the muscle belly sits the inguinal region, while posteriorly the acetabulum cups the femoral head and the greater trochanter marks the lateral aspect of the proximal femur. Pelvic landmarks, including the ilium and the pubic component of the os coxae, frame the origin, and the proximal femur provides the insertional topography. Clear bony reference points. Pectineus is easy to misplace in teaching because it straddles functional compartments, often grouped with the adductors yet frequently supplied by the femoral nerve (with occasional obturator contribution), so a lateral view that anchors it to the pubis and pectineal line helps reconcile anatomy with action. Clinically, this region matters for anterior hip pain and for interpreting groin strains, where pectineus and adductor longus injuries can mimic intra-articular pathology, and for planning an anterior approach to the hip in which the femoral neurovascular bundle lies just anterior and medial to this muscle. Its proximity to the hip capsule makes it a relevant landmark when discussing femoroacetabular mechanics and resisted hip flexion and adduction testing. Use this artwork for gross anatomy lab guides on the pelvis and proximal thigh, for orthopedic and sports medicine chapters on groin pain differentials, and for surgical education materials covering anterior hip exposure and safe planes near the inguinal crease. It also supports radiology teaching when correlating the pectineal line and adjacent soft tissues on axial CT or MRI through the hip. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.