Which nerve innervates the hip adductors and provides sensation over the medial thigh?

Which nerve innervates the hip adductors and provides sensation over the medial thigh?

• A. Femoral nerve
• B. Obturator nerve
• C. Sciatic nerve
• D. Radial nerve

Answer: (B)

The key idea here is that the obturator nerve handles both hip adduction and sensation of the medial thigh. It arises from L2–L4, travels through the obturator canal, and provides motor innervation to the hip adductors (such as adductor longus, adductor brevis, gracilis, and obturator externus) as well as cutaneous (sensory) innervation to the medial thigh via its sensory branches. Because it covers both the muscle group that adducts the hip and the skin on the medial thigh, it best fits the question’s two-part prompt. In contrast, the femoral nerve mainly supplies hip flexors and knee extensors and gives sensation to the anterior thigh and medial leg via the saphenous branch; the sciatic nerve covers the posterior thigh and the entire lower leg and foot; the radial nerve is a nerve of the arm.

The key idea here is that the obturator nerve handles both hip adduction and sensation of the medial thigh. It arises from L2–L4, travels through the obturator canal, and provides motor innervation to the hip adductors (such as adductor longus, adductor brevis, gracilis, and obturator externus) as well as cutaneous (sensory) innervation to the medial thigh via its sensory branches. Because it covers both the muscle group that adducts the hip and the skin on the medial thigh, it best fits the question’s two-part prompt.

In contrast, the femoral nerve mainly supplies hip flexors and knee extensors and gives sensation to the anterior thigh and medial leg via the saphenous branch; the sciatic nerve covers the posterior thigh and the entire lower leg and foot; the radial nerve is a nerve of the arm.