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Groin

life science Maturity 9-11 Next article →

The groin is a very important part of the human body. It is also called the inguinal region or the iliac region. This area sits at the junction between your torso and your thigh. You can find it at the front of the body. It is on either side of the pubic tubercle. A small crease or fold forms here. This fold is called the inguinal groove.

Blausen 0006 AbdominopelvicRegions
Blausen 0006 AbdominopelvicRegions

Many things happen inside this small area. The groin contains the adductor muscles of the hip. These muscles help you move your legs. They work by bringing the thigh closer to the middle of your body. Five specific muscles make up this group. These are the adductor brevis and the adductor longus. You also have the adductor magnus, the gracilis, and the pectineus.

Blausen 0006 AbdominopelvicRegions
Blausen 0006 AbdominopelvicRegions

Nerves and blood vessels also pass through this spot. These parts sit quite close to the surface of your skin. The groin is innervated by branches of the lumbar plexus. The pectineus muscle uses the femoral nerve. Part of the adductor magnus uses the tibial nerve. Under the skin, you also have deep inguinal lymph nodes. These nodes help your immune system work. They can swell if you have an infection.

Blausen 0006 AbdominopelvicRegions
Blausen 0006 AbdominopelvicRegions

Doctors look at the groin for many medical reasons. There is an area called the inguinal triangle. It has two depressions called the lateral and medial inguinal fossae. An inguinal ligament runs through this area. This ligament connects the pubic tubercle to the anterior superior iliac spine. Doctors study this for hernia operations. A hernia is when something pushes through a weak spot. This can be a direct or indirect hernia.

Blausen 0006 AbdominopelvicRegions
Blausen 0006 AbdominopelvicRegions

Understanding the groin helps us understand how our bodies move. A pulled groin is often a strain of the adductor muscles. This can happen from overuse or an old injury. Sometimes a person has a saddlebag hernia. This is when both direct and indirect hernias happen on one side. Doctors also use the groin for special medical tests. They may make an incision here to enter the vascular system. This helps them use a catheter to see your blood vessels.

Blausen 0006 AbdominopelvicRegions
Blausen 0006 AbdominopelvicRegions
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File:Blausen 0006 AbdominopelvicRegions.png
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