Table of Contents
Overview
Overview of the sciatic nerve The sciatic nerve is formed within the pelvis from the anterior rami of L4-S3 spinal nerves. It enters the lower limb by travelling through the greater sciatic foramen of the posterior pelvis and inferior to, or occasionally through, the piriformis muscle. Once in limb, the sciatic nerve passes down the posterior thigh supplying innervation to the hip joint, the hamstring muscles and part of the adductor magnus muscle. Just above the level of the knee, the sciatic nerve divides into its two terminal branches; the tibial nerve and the common fibular/peroneal nerve. The tibial nerve supplies motor and sensory innervation to the posterior leg and foot. The major branches of the tibial nerve are the sural nerve and the medial and lateral plantar nerves. The common fibular nerve quickly divides into the deep fibular nerve and the superficial nerve; these nerves provide motor and sensory supply to the anterolateral aspects of the leg and the dorsum of the foot.
Keypoints
| Pathway of the sciatic nerve |
Arises: Spinal nerves L4-S3 Pathway: Enters thigh between ischial tuberosity and greater trochanter of femur, descends through posterior compartment of thigh Termination: Tibial nerve, common fibular nerve |
| Main branches of the sciatic nerve |
Common fibular nerve: Superficial fibular nerve, deep fibular nerve Tibial nerve: Sural nerve, medial calcaneal branches, lateral calcaneal branches (of sural nerve), medial and lateral plantar nerves |
Atlas of Sciatic nerve and its branches
Sacral plexus (Plexus sacralis)
posterior view
Spinal nerve L4 (Nervus spinalis L4)
posterior view
Spinal nerve L5 (Nervus spinalis L5)
posterior view
Spinal nerve S1 (Nervus spinalis S1)
posterior view
Spinal nerve S2 (Nervus spinalis S2)
posterior view
Spinal nerve S3 (Nervus spinalis S3)
posterior view
Spinal nerve S4 (Nervus spinalis S4)
posterior view
Spinal nerve S5 (Nervus spinalis S5) 
Lumbosacral trunk (Truncus lumbosacralis)
posterior view
Superior gluteal nerve (Nervus gluteus superior)
posterior view
Inferior gluteal nerve (Nervus gluteus inferior)
posterior view
Posterior femoral cutaneous nerve (Nervus cutaneus posterior femoris)
posterior view
Pudendal nerve (Nervus pudendus)
posterior view
Coccygeal nerve (Nervus coccygeus)
posterior view
Sciatic nerve (Nervus ischiadicus)
posterior view
Tibial division of sciatic nerve (Divisio tibialis nervi ischiadici)
posterior view
Common fibular division of sciatic nerve (Divisio fibularis communis nervi ischiadici)
posterior view
Common fibular nerve (Nervus fibularis communis)
posterior view
Superficial fibular nerve (Nervus fibularis superficialis)
posterior view
Tibial nerve (Nervus tibialis)
posterior view
Sural nerve (Nervus suralis)
posterior view
Lateral dorsal cutaneous nerve of foot (Nervus cutaneus dorsalis lateralis pedis)
posterior view
Lateral calcaneal branches of sural nerve (Rami calcanei laterales nervi suralis)
posterior view
Medial calcaneal branches of tibial nerve (Rami calcanei mediales nervi tibialis)
posterior view
Lateral plantar nerve (Nervus plantaris lateralis)
posterior view
Medial plantar nerve (Nervus plantaris medialis)
posterior view
Reference
- https://kenhub.com
