Anatomy, Abdomen and Pelvis, Obturator Nerve

The obturator nerve arises from the lumbar plexus and provides sensory and motor innervation to the thigh. This nerve provides motor innervation to the medial compartment of the thigh and as a result, is essential to the adduction of the thigh. The nerve provides sensory innervation to the medial upper thigh and provides articular branches to the hip and knee. The obturator nerve is clinically relevant in certain pathologic conditions and procedures involving the hip and knee. Additionally, its location in the pelvis and upper thigh, as well as its origin in the lumbar plexus, make the obturator nerve a relevant anatomic structure in several clinical settings.