Arrangement of Lower Limb Nerves

Lumbar plexus nerves

Femoral and saphenous, obturator, lateral femoral cutaneous, genitofemoral, muscular branches

Femoral nerve

Root = L1234

motor distribution = iliacus, pectineus, sartorius, quadriceps femoris

sensory distribution = skin of anterior and medial thigh, knee and hip joints

Lumbar plexus nerves

Femoral and saphenous, obturator, lateral femoral cutaneous, genitofemoral, muscular branches

Femoral nerve

Root = L1234

motor distribution = iliacus, pectineus, sartorius, quadriceps femoris

sensory distribution = skin of anterior and medial thigh, knee and hip joints

Saphenous nerve

No motor distribution, sensory distribution = skin of medial leg to base of big toe

Obturator nerve

Root = L1234

motor distribution = pectineus, adductor brevis/longus and half of magnus, obturator externus, gracilis

sensory distribution = skin of medial thigh and hip joint

Lateral femoral cutaneous nerve

No motor distribution, sensory distribution = skin of lateral thigh

Genitofemoral nerve

No motor distribution, sensory distribution = skin of medial thigh and external genitalia

Muscular branches of lumbar plexus

Motor distribution = iliacus and psoas major, sensory distribution = hip joint

Lumbosacral plexus nerves

Posterior femoral cutaneous, superior gluteal, inferior gluteal, muscular branches, sciatic

Branches of sciatic

Tibial nerve goes into medial and lateral plantar, common peroneal goes into deep and superficial peroneal, tibial and common peroneal split and join again to form sural

Posterior femoral cutaneous nerve

No motor distribution, sensory distribution = skin of posterior thigh and leg to mid calf

Superior gluteal nerve

Motor distribution = glute med and min, tfl

Sensory distribution = hip joint

Inferior gluteal nerve

Motor distribution = glute max

Sensory distribution = hip joint

Muscular branches of lumbosacral plexus

Motor distribution = deep hip external rotators except obturator externus

Sensory distribution = hip joint

Sciatic nerve

Root = L45S123

Motor distribution = hamstrings and half of adductor magnus

Sensory distribution = hip and knee joints

Tibial nerve

Motor distribution = gastrocnemius, soleus, plantaris, popliteus, tibialis posterior, flexor hallucis longus, flexor digitorum longus

Sensory distribution = knee and ankle joints

Medial plantar nerve

Motor distribution = abductor hallucis, flexor digitorum brevis, flexor hallucis brevis, first lumbrical

Sensory distribution = skin of medial three and a half digits, corresponding sole and joints in the foot

Lateral plantar nerve

Motor distribution = flexor digiti minimi brevis, adductor hallucis, second to fourth lumbricals, interossei, abductor digiti minimi

Sensory distribution = skin of lateral one and a half digits, corresponding sole and joints in the foot

Sural nerve

Formed from a split from common peroneal and tibial nerve, no motor distribution, sensory distribution = skin of lateral and posterior leg, heel and skin of lateral side of the sole

Common peroneal nerve

No motor distribution, sensory distribution = knee joint, skin of anterior/posterior/lateral upper leg adjacent to the knee

Superficial common peroneal nerve

Motor distribution = fibularis longus and fibularis brevis

Sensory distribution = skin of lateral leg, dorsum of foot (except skin between digits one and two), ankle joint

Deep common peroneal nerve

Motor distribution = tibialis anterior, extensor hallucis longus, extensor digitorum longus, fibularis tertius, extensor digitorum brevis

Sensory distribution = skin between digits one and two, ankle and foot joints