Sacral Plexus

Authors

Affiliations

Nate Yomogida, B.S., SPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy

B.S. in Kinesiology

Chloë Kerstein, B.S., SPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy

B.A. in Neuroscience

Nerve	Roots	Motor Innervation	Cutaneous Innervation
Superior Gluteal N.	L4, L5, S1	Gluteus Medius Gluteus Minimus Tensor Fascia Latae (TFL)	None
Inferior Gluteal N.	L5, S1, S2	Gluteus Maximus
Posterior Cutaneous Nerve of the Thigh
Sciatic N.
Common Fibular N.	L4, L5, S1, S2
Tibial N.	L4, L5, S1, S2, S3
Pudendal N.	S2, S3, S4

• Superior Gluteal nerve (L4, L5, S1)
• Inferior Gluteal nerve (L5, S1, S2)
• Posterioro Cutaneous Nerve of the Thigh ()
• Pudendal nerve (S2, S3, S4)
• Sciatic nerve ()
• Common Fibular nerve (L4, L5, S1, S2)
• Tibial nerve (L4, L5, S1, S2, S3)

Motor Innervation

Direct Muscle Innervations of the Sacral Plexus
Muscle	Origin	Insertion	Innervation	Action
Piriformis	Anterior Sacrum1 [Anterior Sacrum](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Gluteal Muscles/piriformis_muscle.qmd#origin) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020]	Apex of the Greater Trochanter1 [Apex of the Greater Trochanter](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Gluteal Muscles/piriformis_muscle.qmd#insertion) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020]	Sacral Plexus Direct Br.1 S1 - S21 [Sacral Plexus Direct Br.](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Gluteal Muscles/piriformis_muscle.qmd#nerve) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020] [S1](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Gluteal Muscles/piriformis_muscle.qmd#nerve) - [S2](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Gluteal Muscles/piriformis_muscle.qmd#nerve) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020]	Hip [ER](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Gluteal Muscles/piriformis_muscle.qmd#action) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020] [Abduction](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Gluteal Muscles/piriformis_muscle.qmd#action) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020] [Extension](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Gluteal Muscles/piriformis_muscle.qmd#action) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020] [Stabilization](/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Gluteal Muscles/piriformis_muscle.qmd#action) [@gilroyAtlasAnatomy2020]

Dysfunction

“The sacral plexus arises from lower levels (L4–S4) of the spinal cord and supplies the perineum and, via the large sciatic nerve, the posterior thigh, entire leg and most of the foot”¹

References

1.

Gilroy AM, MacPherson BR, Wikenheiser JC, Voll MM, Wesker K, Schünke M, eds. Atlas of Anatomy. 4th ed. Thieme; 2020.