The largest branch of the lumbar plexus and originates from the ventral divisions of the second, third, and fourth lumbar nerves.
A major peripheral nerve originating in the lumbosacral plexus.
A nerve which governs the muscle at the front of the thigh.
Main nerve of the anterior (front) part of the thigh, receiving sensory impulses from the front and inner thigh and supplying the muscles of the anterior thigh; also called anterior crural nerve.
The nerve that supplies the quadriceps muscle at the front of the thigh and receives sensation from the front and inner sides of the thigh. It arises from the second, third, and fourth lumbar nerves.
A nerve emerging from the lumbar plexus that takes axons from spinal levels L2-L4 to the extensor muscles of the leg and the iliopsoas, sartorius, and pectineus muscles and also and along the inner side of the leg and foot. The femoral nerve carries the sensory and motor axons for the patellar reflex.
The femoral nerve is one of the primary nerves in the leg. Its nerve fibers originate from the lower spine and extend into the thigh, branching out to supply the skin and the anterior muscles of the thigh. The nerve branches catering to the skin are responsible for sensation, while those providing for the muscles induce the contraction of the quadriceps muscle, resulting in knee extension.
Injury to the femoral nerve, leading to a compromised ability to extend the knee, commonly occurs due to a herniated disc in the lower back or lumbar region of the spine. Such damage can also be a consequence of a dislocated hip or a neuropathic condition.