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Patients with lower back pain from irritation of the L5 and S1 nerve roots often have weakness from pain and spasm in the hip abductor muscles and the hip extensor muscles. This allows for imbalanced contraction of the hip adductor muscles since the opposition muscles are weak.

The hip adductors then become tight and shortened. This creates an even more unfavorable condition for the already weakened hip abductor and hip extensor muscles which must contract against tight and shortened hip adductor muscles. This creates a vicious cycle perpetuate the lower back pain symptoms.

The hip adductor muscles are:

* adductor magnus
* adductor brevis
* adductor longus

These muscles are supplied by the obturator nerve from L2, L3 and L4 nerve roots. The adductor magnus is also supplied by the sciatic nerve (L4, L5, S1).

Other muscles that also perform hip adduction are:

* gluteus maximus (lower fibers)
* quadratus femoris.

Gluteus maximus is supplied by the inferior gluteal nerve (L5, S1 especially S1 nerve root).

Quadratus femoris is supplied by the nerve to the quadratus femoris from the sciatic nerve (L4, L5, S1).

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