The gracilis muscle is the most superficially located muscle in the thigh adductor group. It arises from the medial margin of the lower half of the pubic arch and inserts into the medial surface of the upper end of the tibia. It forms a flat and narrow muscle belly.

The dominant nutrient vessels of the gracilis muscle originate from either the profunda femoris or the medial circumflex femoral vessels and enter the muscle from its upper third. Although there are a few additional small nutrient vessels ramifying directly from the femoral vessels to the distal portion of the muscle, the dominant nutrient vessels alone can nourish the entire muscle belly (Fig. 153.1A).

The motor nerve of the gracilis muscle is derived from the anterior branch of the obturator nerve with the sensory nerve to the thigh, which separates from the motor nerve at the gracilis hilus and finally terminates at the skin of the inner medial thigh. The motor nerve of the gracilis muscle is accompanied by the dominant nutrient vessels and can easily be identified between the adductor longus and brevis muscles (Fig. 153.1B).