Note. This is not a complete list, but summarises some of the most clinically relevant nerves which might be encountered in the MSRA.
Femoral nerve
- Nerve roots - L2-L4
- Motor function - Muscles in the anterior thigh - knee extension and thigh flexion
- Sensory function - Anterior + medial thigh, medial leg and foot
- Injuries - Hip fracture or stab wound
Obturator nerve
- Nerve roots - L2-L4
- Motor function - Thigh aDduction
- Sensory function - Medial thigh
- Injuries - Anterior hip dislocation
Sciatic nerve
- Nerve roots - L4-S3
- Motor function - Posterior compartment of thigh - knee flexion + all muscles of leg and foot
- Sensory function - Posterior thigh, lateral side of leg and sole and dorsum of foot
- Injuries - Hip dislocation, acetabular fracture
Superior gluteal nerve
- Nerve roots - L4-S1
- Motor function - Gluteus medius and minimus - hip aBduction
- Sensory function - nil
- Injuries - Pelvic fracture or surgery
- Signs - Positive trendelenburg sign - when standing on the affected leg/during walking the pelvis drops on the contralateral/swing side
Inferior gluteal nerve
- Nerve roots - L5-S2
- Motor function - Gluteus maximus - hip extension/lateral rotation
- Sensory function - nil
Lateral cutaneous nerve of the thigh (LCNT)
- Nerve roots - L2-L3
- Motor function - Nil
- Sensory function - Anterolateral and lateral thigh
- Injuries - Meralgia paraesthetica: compression of LCNT at the ASIS causes pain, tingling and numbness in the distribution of the LCNT
Common peroneal nerve
- Nerve roots - L4-S2
- Motor function - Eversion and dorsiflexion of the foot, extensor hallucis longus
- Injury presents with FOOT DROP
- Sensory function - dorsum of foot, lateral leg
- Injuries - trauma, knee dislocations, external compression at fibular head
Tibial nerve
- Nerve roots - L4-S3
- Motor function - Plantarflexion and inversion of the foot
- Sensory function - Sole of the foot
- Injuries - Posterior knee dislocation, popliteal laceration