Gracilis: Pain Pattern and Treatment
The gracilis is the thin strap on the inside of the thigh, running from the pubic bone straight down to the inner knee. It is the most superficial of the adductors. Its documented pattern is a hot, stinging line along the inner thigh, just under the skin, that stays constant whatever position the leg is in. This is a sub-page of the adductors group page.
Attachments and action
Origin: The lower half of the body of the pubis and the inferior pubic ramus.
Insertion: The upper inner surface of the tibia, in the pes anserinus with the sartorius and semitendinosus.
Action: Adduction of the hip; flexion and medial rotation of the knee.
Where the pain is felt: A line along the inner thigh from the groin to the inner knee. Hot or stinging, just under the skin. Constant; changing position does not help, and walking sometimes eases it.
Common causes: A slip into a split; horseback riding; breaststroke kick; a sudden side-step or cut in sport; sitting cross-legged; the months of pregnancy.
Patients say: "It burns along the inside of my thigh." "It does not matter how I sit or lie, it is just there." Pain at the inner knee that the knee exam did not explain.
When to get evaluated: Inner-thigh pain with swelling, warmth, or redness of the calf or thigh needs a blood clot ruled out first. Groin pain with a bulge that appears on coughing needs assessment for a hernia.
How this muscle is examined and treated
Examination tests adduction with the knee straight, then runs a finger along the inner thigh for the point that reproduces the stinging line. Needling here addresses the muscle along the inner thigh, superficially. Assessment and treatment happen in the same visit.
Related conditions
Hip & Glute PainKnee PainSports & Performance Injuries
This page is educational. It describes muscle referral patterns commonly associated with pain; it does not diagnose your condition. Individual patterns vary. For evaluation of your specific pain, see a licensed clinician. Seek immediate medical care for emergencies. Eugene Baek, L.Ac. · New Jersey License 25MZ00080600