Terminal Nerves of Lumbosacral Plexus
The terminal nerves of the lumbosacral plexus are described in Table II-5-1.
| Terminal Nerve | Origin | Muscles Innervated | Primary Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Femoral nerve | L2 through L4 posterior divisions | Anterior compartment of thigh (quadriceps femoris, sartorius, pectineus) | Extend knee Flex hip |
| Obturator nerve | L2 through L4 anterior divisions | Medial compartment of thigh (gracilis, adductor longus, adductor brevis, anterior portion of adductor magnus) | Adduct thigh Medially rotate thigh |
| Tibial nerve | L4 through S3 anterior divisions | Posterior compartment of thigh (semimembranosus, semitendinosus, long head of biceps femoris, posterior portion of adductor magnus) Posterior compartment of leg (gastrocnemius, soleus, flexor digitorum longus, flexor hallucis longus, tibialis posterior) Plantar muscles of foot | Flex knee Extend thigh Plantar flex foot (S1–2) Flex digits Inversion |
| Common fibular nerve | L4 through S2 posterior divisions | Short head of biceps femoris | Flex knee |
| Superficial fibular nerve | Lateral compartment of leg (fibularis longus, fibularis brevis) | Eversion | |
| Deep fibular nerve | Anterior compartment of leg (tibialis anterior, extensor hallucis, extensor digitorum, fibularis tertius) | Dorsiflex foot (L4–5) Extend digits Inversion |
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