Effect

on Muscle Actions
When Cutting a Nerve
Obturator Nerve
Inferior Gluteal Nerve -Affects Obturator Externus, Gracilis,
-Affects Gluteus Maximus Pectineus (partially), Adductor Longus,
-Causes weakness in: Adductor Brevis, Adductor Magnus (partially)
• Extension of Hip -Causes weakness in:
• Lateral rotation of Hip • Flexion of Hip
• Lateral rotation of hip
Superior Gluteal Nerve • Flexion of knee
-Affects G. medius, G. minimus, • Adduction of Hip*
and Tensor Fasciae Latae o Not total paralysis because Ad. Magnus and
-Causes weakness in: Pectineus are also partially innervated by other
• Extension of hip nerves
• Flexion of hip
• Lateral rotation of hip Femoral Nerve
• Medial rotation of hip -Affects Iliacus (Iliopsoas partially), Sartorius, R. Femoris, V.
Lateralis, V. Intermedius, V. Medialis, Pectineus (partially)
• Abduction of hip
-Causes weakness in:

Nerve to Piriformis • Flexion of hip
-Affects Piriformis • Lateral rotation of hip
-Causes weakness in: • Abduction of hip
• Lateral rotation of hip • Adduction of hip
• Abduction of hip • Flexion of leg
-Causes paralysis in
Nerve to Obturator Internus • Extension of leg
-Affects O. Internus, G. Superior
-Causes weakness in: Tibial Nerve
• Lateral rotation of Hip -Affects Adductor Magnus (partially), Biceps Fem. Long Head,
• Abduction of Hip Semitendinosus, Semimembranosus, Gastrocnemius, Soleus,
Plantaris, Popliteus, Flexor Hallucis Longus, Flexor digitorum
Nerve to Quadratus Femoris Longus, Tibialis Posterior
-Affects G. Inferior, Q. Femoris -Causes weakness in:
-Causes weakness in: • Extension of hip
• Lateral rotation of hip • Lateral rotation of hip
• Abduction of hip • Adduction of hip
• Flexion of leg
Lumbar Nerves • Plantarflexion of foot
-Affects Psoas major, Psoas minor, • Inversion of foot
Iliopsoas (partially) • Flexion of hallux
-Causes weakness in: • Flexion of digits
• Flexion of Hip
Effect on Muscle Actions When Cutting a Nerve (Contd.)

Common Fibular (Peroneal) Lateral Plantar Nerve
-Affects Biceps Fem. Short Head -Affects Abductor Digiti Minimi, Quadratus Plantae,
-Causes weakness in: Lumbricals 2-4, Adductor Hallucis (Oblique and
• Flexion of knee Transverse Heads), Flexor Digiti Minimi Brevi, Dorsal
Interossei, Plantar Interossei
Deep Fibular (Peroneal) -Causes weakness in:
-Affects Tibialis Anterior, • Flexion of digits
EDL, EDB, EHL, EHB, Fibularis -Causes paralysis in:
(Peroneus) Tertius • Abduction of digits 2-5
-Causes weakness in: • Adduction of digits 3-5
• Inversion of foot
• Eversion of foot
• Extension of digits
o EDL and EDB control extension
of digits 1-5, however, Lumbricals
control extension of IP joints of
digits 2-5
*See “Muscles by Action” chart Recap:
-Causes paralysis in: Cutting/damaging the following nerves will
• Dorsiflexion of Foot cause paralysis of certain actions:
• Extension of Hallux
-Femoral nerve – extension of leg
Superficial Fibular (Peroneal)
-Affects Peroneus Longus, -Deep Fibular nerve – Dorsiflexion of foot,
Peroneus Brevis Extension of Hallux
-Causes weakness in:
• Plantarflexion of foot -Medial Plantar nerve – Abduction of Hallux

• Eversion of foot
-Lateral Plantar Nerve – ABduction of digits 2-5,

ADduction of digits 3-5
Medial Plantar Nerve

-Affects Abductor Hallucis, Flexor
Cutting or damaging any of the other nerves will
Digitorum Brevis, Flexor Hallucis Brevis,
only cause weakness in the various actions. In
1st Lumbrical
addition, cutting some of these nerves will not
-Causes weakness in:
cause paralysis in all of the actions they are
• Flexion of Hallux
involved with.
• Flexion of digits
-Causes paralysis in:
• Abduction of Hallux