Femoral nerve

A major nerve in the thigh that primarily controls movement and sensation in the anterior compartment of the thigh.

The femoral nerve is one of the largest branches of the lumbar plexus, arising from the ventral rami of the lumbar spinal nerves L2, L3, and L4. It innervates the muscles of the anterior thigh and provides sensation to the anterior thigh and part of the lower leg through its sensory branches.

Terminologia Anatomica

nervus femoralis

System

Nervous system

Function

The primary function of the femoral nerve is to facilitate movement and provide sensory feedback from the thigh and lower leg regions. It is responsible for the motor innervation of the quadriceps femoris muscle, which is critical for extending the knee joint. This nerve also innervates important hip flexors, including the iliacus and psoas major. In addition to motor functions, the femoral nerve supplies sensation to the anterior aspect of the thigh through its cutaneous branches, including the intermediate femoral cutaneous nerve and the medial femoral cutaneous nerve, extending its sensory reach to parts of the lower leg via the saphenous nerve, a prominent branch that carries sensations from the skin over the medial side of the leg and foot.

Location

The femoral nerve originates in the lumbar plexus located in the psoas major muscle near the lumbar vertebrae. From this point, it descends laterally through the pelvis and travels beneath the inguinal ligament, eventually entering the thigh. It is situated in close proximity to the femoral artery and vein, which run together in the femoral triangle, a key anatomical region in the upper thigh. As the nerve courses downwards, it divides into several branches that supply the surrounding muscles and skin, ensuring extensive innervation across the anterior compartment of the thigh and extending towards the knee and lower leg.

Did You Know?

The femoral nerve is essential for activities that involve leg extension, such as walking, running, and jumping.
Damage to this nerve can lead to conditions such as weakness in the knee extension or loss of sensation in the anterior thigh.
The saphenous nerve, a branch of the femoral nerve, is the longest sensory nerve in the human body.