Original Author: Tony Martin

Last Updated: December 22, 2017

THE SCIATIC NERVE Revisions: 56

Contents

1 Overview
2 Anatomical Course
3 Clinical Relevance: Intramuscular Injections
4 Motor Functions
5 Sensory Functions

The sciatic nerve is a major nerve of the lower limb. It is a thick flat band, approximately 2cm wide –
the largest nerve in the body. In this article, we shall look at the anatomy of the sciatic nerve – its
anatomical course, motor and sensory functions, and its clinical correlations.

Overview
Nerve Roots: L4-S3.

Motor: Innervates the muscles of the posterior thigh and the hamstring portion of the adductor
magnus. Indirectly innervates (via its terminal branches) the muscles of the leg and foot.

Sensory: 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.

Anatomical Course
The sciatic nerve is derived from the lumbosacral plexus. After its formation, it leaves the pelvis and
enters the gluteal region via greater sciatic foramen. It emerges inferiorly to the piriformis muscle
and descends in an inferolateral direction.

As the nerve 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.

Note: the sciatic nerve can be described as two individual nerves bundled together in the same
connective tissue sheath – the tibial and common fibular nerves. These usually separate at the apex
of the popliteal fossa, however in approximately 12% of people they separate as they leave the
pelvis.

Fig 1.0 – View of the posterior thigh. The gluteus maximus and minimus have been removed to expose the sciatic nerve and underlying

anatomical structures.

Clinical Relevance: Intramuscular Injections

The anatomical course of the sciatic nerve must be considered when administering
intramuscular injections into the gluteal region. The region can be divided into quadrants using
2 lines, marked by bony landmarks:

• One line descends vertically from the highest point on the iliac crest.

• The other horizontal line passes through the vertical line half way between the highest point
on the iliac crest and ischial tuberosity.

The sciatic nerve passes through the lower medial quadrant. To avoid damaging the sciatic
nerve therefore, intramuscular injections are given only in the upper lateral quadrant of the
gluteal region.
 Fig 1.1 – Safe intramuscular injections into the gluteal region.

Motor Functions
Although the sciatic nerve passes through the gluteal region, it does not innervate any muscles
there. However, the sciatic nerve does directly innervate the muscles in the posterior compartment of
the thigh, and the hamstring portion of the adductor magnus.

The sciatic nerve also indirectly innervates several other muscles, via its two terminal branches:

• Tibial nerve – the muscles of the posterior leg (calf muscles), and some of the intrinsic muscles of
the foot.
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• Common fibular nerve – the muscles of the anterior leg, lateral leg, and the remaining intrinsic
foot muscles.

In total, the sciatic nerve innervates the muscles of the posterior thigh, entire leg and entire foot.

Sensory Functions
The sciatic nerve does not have any direct cutaneous functions. It does provide indirect sensory
innervation via its terminal branches:

• Tibial nerve – Innervates the posterolateral and anterolateral sides of the leg, and the plantar
surface of the foot (the sole).

• Common fibular nerve – Innervates the lateral leg and the dorsal surface of the foot.
 Fig 1.2 – The cutaneous innervation of the terminal branches of the sciatic nerve.

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