Which muscle is a hip adductor?

• A. Adductor magnus
• B. Gluteus maximus
• C. Piriformis
• D. Sartorius

Answer: (A)

The key idea is identifying muscles that pull the thigh toward the midline of the body, which is hip adduction. The Adductor magnus is a primary hip adductor, located on the medial thigh, and its main job is to bring the leg inward toward the midline (with some fibers contributing to hip extension when the hip is flexed).

The other muscles have different primary actions: the gluteus maximus mainly extends the hip and externally rotates it; the piriformis is an external rotator (and can assist with abduction when the hip is flexed); the sartorius acts as a hip flexor, abductor, and external rotator, and also flexes the knee.

So the muscle that is a hip adductor is the Adductor magnus.