5.2 Posterior Abdominal Wall - Nerve Motor and Sensory Functions

Question 1

What are the motor and sensory functions of the femoral nerve?

Answer 1

Motor: muscles of the anterior compartment of the thigh, as well as the iliacus and pectineus. (Hip flexors and quads).

Sensory: skin on anterior thigh and medial leg (from the saphenous branch).

Question 2

What are the motor and sensory functions of the obturator nerve?

Answer 2

Motor: muscles of the medial compartment of the thigh – obturator externus, pectineus, etc.

Sensory: skin on the medial aspect of the thigh.

Question 3

What are the motor and sensory functions of the genitofemoral nerve?

Answer 3

Motor: cremaster muscle.

Sensory: skin of anterior scrotum or mons pubis and labium majus – skin of upper anterior thigh and medial thigh.

(Genital and femoral sensation come from two branches, the genital branch and the femoral branch)

Question 4

What are the motor and sensory functions of the ilioinguinal nerve?

Answer 4

Motor: internal oblique and transversus abdominis.

Sensory: skin of the upper medial thigh, and either the skin over the root of the penis and anterior scrotum – or the mons pubis and labium majus.

Question 5

What is the sensory function of the lateral cutaneous nerve of the thigh (lateral femoral cutaneous nerve)?

Answer 5

Sensory: skin on the anterior and lateral thigh, down to the knee.

Question 6

What are the motor and sensory functions of the iliohypogastric nerve?

Answer 6

Motor: internal oblique and transversus abdominis.

Sensory: posterior lateral gluteal skin, and skin in the pubic region.