Which muscle adducts the hip?

• A. Gluteus Maximus Lower Fibers
• B. Gluteus Medius
• C. Gluteus Minimus
• D. Adductor Longus

Answer: (A)

Hip adduction means pulling the thigh toward the midline of the body. The muscles that do this best are in the inner thigh—the adductor group, which includes adductor longus, adductor brevis, adductor magnus, gracilis, and pectineus. Among the options, the adductor longus is the primary muscle that brings the thigh inward because it crosses the hip joint on the medial side and whose contraction directly shortens to draw the femur toward the midline.

The gluteus medius and gluteus minimus are mainly abductors; they move the thigh away from the midline and help stabilize the pelvis during locomotion. The gluteus maximus is primarily an extensor and external rotator of the hip, with its lower fibers contributing only a minor assist to adduction in certain positions. So, the best choice for a muscle that adducts the hip is the adductor longus.