The nerve to quadratus femoris is a
nerve that provides innervation to the
quadratus femoris muscle and
gemellus inferior muscle.
Structure
The nerve to quadratus femoris is a
sacral plexus nerve.
It arises from the ventral divisions of the
fourth lumbar spinal nerve,
fifth lumbar spinal nerve, and
first sacral spinal nerve.
It leaves the
pelvis through the
greater sciatic foramen
The greater sciatic foramen is an opening (foramen) in the posterior human pelvis. It is formed by the sacrotuberous and sacrospinous ligaments. The piriformis muscle passes through the foramen and occupies most of its volume. The greater sci ...
, below
piriformis muscle
The piriformis muscle () is a flat, pyramidally-shaped muscle in the gluteal region of the lower limbs. It is one of the six muscles in the lateral rotator group.
The piriformis muscle has its origin upon the front surface of the sacrum, and ins ...
.
It runs down in front of the
sciatic nerve, the
superior and
inferior gemellus muscle
The gemelli muscles are the inferior gemellus muscle
and the superior gemellus muscle, two small accessory fasciculi to the tendon of the internal obturator muscle. The gemelli muscles belong to the lateral rotator group of six muscles of the h ...
s, and the tendon of the
obturator internus.
It enters the anterior surfaces of
quadratus femoris muscle and
gemellus inferior muscle. It gives an
articular branch to the
hip joint
In vertebrate anatomy, hip (or "coxa"Latin ''coxa'' was used by Celsus in the sense "hip", but by Pliny the Elder in the sense "hip bone" (Diab, p 77) in medical terminology) refers to either an anatomical region or a joint.
The hip region is ...
.
Variation
Rarely, the nerve to quadratus femoris may also innervate the
gemellus superior muscle
The gemelli muscles are the inferior gemellus muscle
and the superior gemellus muscle, two small accessory fasciculi to the tendon of the internal obturator muscle. The gemelli muscles belong to the lateral rotator group of six muscles of the hip ...
, or the upper part of
adductor magnus muscle Adductor may refer to:
* One of the anatomical terms of motion
* Adductor muscle (disambiguation)
* Adductor canal
The adductor canal, also known as the subsartorial canal or Hunter’s canal, is an aponeurotic tunnel in the middle third of the t ...
.
Function
The nerve to quadratus femoris provides
motor innervation to
quadratus femoris muscle and
inferior gemellus muscle
The gemelli muscles are the inferior gemellus muscle
and the superior gemellus muscle, two small accessory fasciculi to the tendon of the internal obturator muscle. The gemelli muscles belong to the lateral rotator group of six muscles of the h ...
.
It also provides sensory innervation to the
hip joint
In vertebrate anatomy, hip (or "coxa"Latin ''coxa'' was used by Celsus in the sense "hip", but by Pliny the Elder in the sense "hip bone" (Diab, p 77) in medical terminology) refers to either an anatomical region or a joint.
The hip region is ...
.
References
Nerves of the lower limb and lower torso
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