obturator nerve

Introduction

Nerve root: ventral roots of L2-L4

Afferents

• sensory to a small area of the medial thigh above the knee

Efferents

• muscles of thigh adduction
  • adductor brevis
  • adductor longus
  • adductor magnus
  • gracilis

Course

• the obturator nerve arises from L2-L4 & emerges from the medial border of the psoas, crosses the brim of the pelvis & enters the thigh through the obturator canal

Pathology

Injury

• weakness of hip adduction & medial rotation
• during ambulation, the hip will be abducted & laterally rotated resulting in a wide-based circumduction

More general terms

• peripheral nerve