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So last week, I met with a colleague who knows a thing or 1,000 about mobility. We talked a lot about adductors, and well, to be honest, he is onto something for sure. I mean, look at the picture, those are straddle goals folks.
Call it magic, call it hocus pocus, call it what ya want but I call it the body just doing its thang. The hip adductors are some outstanding muscles consisting of: Pectineus, Adductor Brevis, Adductor Longus, Adductor Magnus, and Gracilis. Always overlooked but that doesn't stop their busy job of giving you powerful movement.
So what do they actually do and why are they always a wreck? I am so glad you asked... great question! Lets get right into it! Besides the obvious adducting, they play a prominent role in flexing, internal rotation, and extension of the hip...whew, that's a lot. I would be a mess too. If you know anything about the amazing Tom Meyers and "Anatomy Trains", they are a intricate part of the Deep Core Stabilizing Line of the body, Anterior Oblique Line, and Lateral System of movement.
Now that we have clarified that "adductors lives matter", let's not forget the role they play in amplifying force and stabilizing the body, especially during task as "simple" as walking. If your trunk muscles, primarily your abdominal region, is lacking strength or poor activation the adductors will take over for stabilization. They become the prime leader of force generation...this pisses them off causing tightness and pain.
When you squat, do you knees cave inward? Yes, I know what you are thinking, "but Sara, shouldn't we look at the ankle mobility or knees?" Absolutely we should! But my first question back to you would be, "but why? why is the mobility of the ankles and knees so crappy?" Let's keep going up that chain...hint hint, the adductors.
Now, let us put this all together. Stand up real quick, put your feet together. Place your hands on your core, one on the front and the other on the side. Squeeze the knees together. Did you feel your abdominals contract? You should have, thats the connection
Come see me, lets work together to un-mess those adductors, then go see my friend Michael for some amazing adductor education, mobility bombs, and drills to make sure we are reaping all the benefit we can from those amazing muscles.