Obturator Nerve

NEURAL PATHWAY

The obturator nerve arises form the lumber plexus. It descends posteromedial to the iliopsoas muscle and travels along gate lateral aspect of the pelvis before going through the obturator canal. 

L2, L3, L4 spinal roots → lumbar plexus → obturator nerve

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Branches: this nerve splits int the anterior and posterior branches after innervating the obturator externus muscle. 

FUNCTION

Motor innervation: responsible for ADDUCTION of the leg

  • Obturator externus (before branching)
  • Adductor longus (branches)
  • Adductor brevis (branches)
  • Adductor magnus (branches)

Sensory innervation (anterior branch)provides sensation over the distal medial thigh. 

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CAUSE OF INJURY

There are a few sources of injury to this nerve:

CLINICAL PRESNENTATION

Weakness on thigh adduction

Loss of sensation in the distal medial thigh. 

OTHER INFO

 

 

Page Updated: 04.28.2017