The gracilis is a slender strap muscle on the medial thigh. It arises from the pubic body and inferior pubic ramus and inserts on the upper medial tibia at the pes anserinus. The obturator nerve supplies it, and it adducts the thigh and flexes the knee.
| Origin | Body and inferior ramus of the pubis. |
|---|---|
| Insertion | Superior part of the medial surface of the tibia (pes anserinus). |
| Innervation | Obturator nerve, anterior division (L2-L3). |
| Blood supply | Medial circumflex femoral artery. |
| Action | Adducts the thigh, flexes the knee and medially rotates the flexed leg. |
3D model: BodyParts3D (CC BY 4.0), adult male reference anatomy. Highlighted structure shown with nearby bones for context.
The gracilis is the only adductor muscle that crosses the knee. Together with sartorius and semitendinosus its tendon forms the pes anserinus.
The combined insertion of sartorius, gracilis and semitendinosus on the upper medial tibia.
The obturator nerve.
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