Lower Limb Nerves

The Femoral Nerve

Course and relations

The femoral nerve enters the thigh below the inguinal ligament, lying on the iliacus. Before entering the thigh the nerve supplies iliacus and pectineus. The femoral nerve in the thigh divides into anterior and posterior branches. The anterior branch supplies the sartorius muscles and gives off medial and intermediate cutaneous nerves of the thigh. The posterior division gives off the saphenous nerve and muscular branches to rectus femoris and the vastus muscles. The saphenous nerve and the nerve to vastus medialis lie in the subsartorial or adductor canal. At the knee the saphenous nerve emerges from behind sartorius and accompanies the greater saphenous vein along the medial side of the leg and foot.

Nerve injury

The femoral nerve is rarely injured. Injury results in loss of knee extension and loss of cutaneous sensation on the medial side of the leg and foot. Pain may be felt over the femoral nerve distribution due to compression of the L2,3,4 nerve roots by an intervertebral disc.

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