Lower Extremity Neurovascular

Nerves that branch off the lumbar plexus

• Femoral

• Obturator

(anterior hip and thigh)

Nerve roots of the lumbar plexus

L1-L4

Nerve roots of the sacral plexus

L4-S4

Nerves that branch off the lumbar plexus

• Superior gluteal

• Inferior gluteal

• Sciatic

(posterior hip & thigh, and everything distal to the knee)

Primary Nerves of the Lower Extremity (anterior)

• Obturator

• Femoral

• Pudendal

• Saphenous

  • Sensory branch that innervates medial thigh and leg

What does the femoral nerve innervate

The anterior compartment of the thigh

• Quadriceps

  • Rectus femoris

  • Vastus lateralis

  • Vastus medialis

  • Vastus intermedius

• Sartorius

• Pectineus

What does the obturator nerve innervate

The medial compartment of the thigh

• Hip adductors

  • Adductor brevis

  • Adductor longus

  • Adductor magnus

What does the pudendal nerve innervate

• S2-S4 (nerve roots)

• Major somatic nerve of the sacral plexus

• Sensory: innervates external genitalia, skin around anus, anal canal and perineum

• Motor: innervates various pelvic muscles, the external urethral sphincter, and the external anal sphincter

What does the inferior gluteal nerve innervate

Gluteus maximus

What does the superior gluteal nerve innervate

• Gluteus medius

• Gluteus minimus

• Tensor fasia latae

Primary Nerves of the Lower Extremity (posterior)

• Sciatic nerve

• Tibial

  • Medial Plantar

  • Lateral Plantar

• Common fibular (peroneal)

  • Superficial fibular

  • Deep fibular

  • Sural

What is the sciatic nerve

The tibial nerve and common fibular nerve before they split superior to the popliteal fossa

What does the tibial nerve innervate

The posterior compartment of thigh (hamstrings), deep & superficial posterior compartments of leg (calf)

Where does the medial and lateral plantar nerve extend off of

Tibial Nerve

What does the medial plantar nerve innervate

Plantar intrinsic foot muscles

What does the lateral plantar nerve innervate

Plantar intrinsic foot muscles

What does the common fibular (peroneal) nerve innervate

Short head of biceps femoris

What does the superficial fibular nerve innervate

Lateral compartment of the lower leg (fibularis longus and brevis)

What does the deep fibular nerve innervate

The anterior compartment of the lower leg (EDL, EHL, Tib Ant, Fib Tert. EDB)

What is the sural nerve

Sensory branch that extends from the tibial and common fibular nerve to lateral lower leg and foot

Components of the Lower Extremity Vascular Supply

• Femoral

• Popliteal

• Posterior tibial

  • Medial plantar

  • Lateral plantar

• Anterior tibial

  • Dorsal pedal

Components of the arteries of the upper leg

• Abdominal aorta

• Lateral circumflex femoral artery

• Femoral artery

• Medial circumflex femoral phase

• Popliteal artery

Components of the arteries of the lower leg

• Femoral artery

• Popliteal

• Posterior tibial

• Medial plantar

• Lateral plantar

• Anterior tibial

• Dorsalis pedis artery