External obturator muscle
| External obturator muscle | |
|---|---|
The obturator externus and nearby hip muscles (posterior view) | |
The obturator externus. Anterior-Inferior view | |
| Details | |
| Origin | Obturator foramen and obturator membrane |
| Insertion | Trochanteric fossa of femur |
| Artery | Obturator artery |
| Nerve | Posterior branch of obturator nerve (third and fourth lumbar nerves) |
| Actions | Abduct thigh, laterally rotates thigh |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | musculus obturatorius externus |
| TA98 | A04.7.02.031 |
| TA2 | 2636 |
| FMA | 22299 |
| Anatomical terms of muscle | |
The external obturator muscle or obturator externus muscle (/ˌɒbtjʊəˈreɪtər ɪkˈstɜːrnəs/; OE) is a flat, triangular muscle, which covers the outer surface of the anterior wall of the pelvis.
It is sometimes considered part of the medial compartment of thigh, and sometimes considered part of the gluteal region.
It is also considered to be part of the short external rotators of the hip, along with the gemellus superior and inferior, piriformis, and quadratus femoris.