muscle: gracilis | yogabook

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The gracilis is the only biarticular adductor muscle, simultaneously flexor and endorotator of the knee joint. The name reflects its long, delicate shape. Due to its functions and not exactly pronounced robustness, it is prone to injury and is also called the „rape muscle“ by doctors because it tends to tear when the victim is being raped. Exercises such as upavista konasana, trikonasana and ardha chandrasana promote its flexibility and usually reach their limits through it.
Origin: Ramus inferior ossis pubis of the pubic bone
Attachment: pes anserinus superficialis of the inner upper tibia
Innervation: ventral branch of nervus obturatorius (L2-L4)
Antagonists:
Movement: Flexion and adduction in the hip joint, flexion and endorotation in the knee joint
Stretching postures (756): trikonasana, ardha chandrasana, upavista konasana, samakonasana, vasisthasana, 4th hip opening, parsva upavista konasana, hasta pagangusthasana: sideways, supta pagangusthasana: sideways