A & P Lab Exercise 21 nerves

Lumbar Plexus

arises form ventral rami of L-1 through L4 (and sometimes T12. Its nerves serve the lower abdominopelvic region and the anterior thigh.

****Tibial Nerve

****Muscles of the back of thigh, leg, and foot (hamstrings [except short head of biceps femoris], posterior part of adductor magnus, triceps surae, tibalis posterior, popliteus, flexor digitorum longus, flexor hallucis longus, and intrinsic muscles of the foot)

*****Sciatic nerve

****composed of two nerves (tibial and common fibular) in a common sheath that diverge just proximal to the knee

****Femoral nerve

****motor to anterior muscles (quadricepts and sartorius) of the thigh; pectineus, iliacus

****Fibular Nerve

****short head of biceps femoris of the thigh, fibularis muscles of lateral compartment of leg, tibialis anterior, and extensor muscles of toes (extensor hallucis longus, extensors digitorum longus and brevis

****Sciatic Nerve

The major peripheral nerve of this plexus, the largest nerve in the body. This nerve travels down the posterior thigh, serving the flexor muscles and skin. in the popliteal region, the sciatic nerve divides into the common fibular nerve and the tibial nerve

Sciatica

characterize by stabbing pain radiating over the course of the sciatic nerve, is common

Femoral nerve

passes beneath the inguinal ligament to innervate the anterior thigh muscle. Cutaneous branches of the femoral nerve (median and anterior femoral cutaneous and the saphenous nerves) supply the skin and the anteromedial surface of the entire lower limb

Sacral plex

supply the buttock, the posterior surface of the thigh, and virtually all sensory and motor fibers of the leg and foot

footdrop

the leg cannot be flexed and the foot drops into plantar flexion (dangles)

common fibular nerve and tibial nerve

together supply the balance of the leg muscles and skin, both directly and via several branches.