Lower Limb Nerves Flashcards
Obturator nerve roots
L2-L4
Obturator nerve motor function
Obturator externus, pectineus,
adductor longus,
adductor brevis,
adductor Magnus,
Obturator nerve sensory function
Skin over medial thigh
Femoral nerve roots
L2-L4
Femoral nerve motor function
Anterior thigh muscles:
Hip flexors: pectineus, iliac, sartorius
Knee extensors: quadriceps
Femoral nerve sensory function
Anteromedial thigh, medial leg and foot (via branches)
Which order do the femoral vessels lie?
NAVy
Nerve
Artery
Vein
Sciatic nerve roots
L4-S3
Sciatic nerve motor function:
muscles of posterior thigh, adductor portion of adductor magnus
Where does the sciatic nerve enter the gluteal region?
Via greater sciatic foramen
Where does the sciatic nerve terminate and what does it become?
Apex of popliteal fossa
Tibial and common fibular nerves
Where are IM injections given in the gluteal region to avoid damage to the sciatic nerve?
Upper lateral quadrant
Tibial nerve roots
L4-S3
Tibial nerve sensory function
Skin on posterolateral leg, lateral foot, plantar surface of foot
Tibial nerve motor function
Posterior leg comparment
How does the tibial nerve enter the foot?
Posterior to medial malleolus, through the tarsal tunnel
How does the tibial nerve descend the leg?
Posterior to the tibia
What would be the result of damage to the tibial nerve
Loss of plantar flexion
Loss of toe flexion
Weakened inversion
Common fibular nerve roots
L4-S3
Common fibular nerve motor function
Short head of biceps femoris, muscles in lateral and anterior leg
Common fibular nerve sensory function
Skin over posterolateral, anterolateral leg and dorsum of foot
How does the common fibular nerve enter the lateral leg?
Wraps around the neck of the fibula. Here, it bifurcates into superficial and deep fibular nerves
When is the common fibular nerve most commonly damaged?
Fracture of the fibula
How would a patient present if they had damaged the common fibular nerve?
Loss of dorsiflexion - foot appears permanently plantarflexed = “foot drop”
Loss of sensation over dorsum of foot, lateral leg
