Sciatic Nerve

Question 1

Nerve Roots?

Sensory or not?

Answer 1

L4-S3

: No direct sensory functions. Indirectly innervates (via its terminal branches) the skin of the lateral leg, heel, and both the dorsal and plantar surfaces of the foot.

Question 2

Nerve course?

Answer 2

derived from the lumbosacral plexus

leaves the pelvis and enters the gluteal region via greater sciatic foramen

moves through the gluteal region, it crosses the posterior surface of the superior gemellus, obturator internus, inferior gemellus and quadratus femoris muscles. It then enters the posterior thigh by passing deep to the long head of the biceps femoris.

Within the posterior thigh, the nerve gives rise to branches to the hamstring muscles and adductor magnus. When the sciatic nerve reaches the apex of the popliteal fossa, it terminates by bifurcating into the tibial and common fibular nerves.