Cervical Plexus: level C1-C5

1. Phrenic Nerve: C3-C4 (some C5)

Innervates diaphragm
Brachial Plexus: C5-C8 and T1
1. Radial Nerve:
Passes down the posterolateral surface of the arm and forearm
Supplies all the extensor muscles of the arm, forearm, and hand of the skin along its
course (triceps brachii, supinator, brachioradialis, extensor carpi radialis longus,
extensor carpi ulnaris)
Often inured in the axillary region (pressure of crutch or hanging arm over chair)
2. Median Nerve:
Passes down the anteromedial surface of the arm and forearm (palmaris longus, flexor
carpi radialis, flexor digitorum superficialis, flexor pollicis longus, flexor digitorum
profundus)
Supplies most of the flexor muscles in the forearm and several muscles in the hand
(plus the skin of lateral surface of the palm of the hand)
3. Musculocutaneous nerve:
Supplies the arm muscles that flex the forearm (biceps, brachii, brachialis)
And skin of the lateral surface of the forearm
4. Ulnar Nerve:
Travels down the posteromedial surface of the arm
Supplies the flexor carpi carpi ulnaris
Ulnar head of the flexor digitorum profundus of the forearm
All intrinsic muscles of the hand not served by the median nerve
Supplies the skin of the medial third of the hand (anterior and posterior surface)
Lumbar Plexus: L1-L4
1. Femoral Nerve:
Innervates the anterior thigh muscles
Supplies the skin of the anteromedial surface of the entire lower limb via anterior
femoral cutaneous branch
Skin of medial leg and foot, hip and knee joints via saphenous branch
Motor: to anterior muscles (quadriceps and Sartorius) of thigh
Sacral Plexus: L4-S4
1. Sciatic Nerve:
Largest nerve in the body

Composed of tibial and common fibular nerves (together supply the balance of the leg
muscles and skin
Serves flexor muscles and skin of posterior thigh
2. Common Tibial Nerve:
Cutaneous branches: skin of posterior surface of leg and sole of foot
Motor branches: muscles of back of thigh, leg, and foot (hamstrings) posterior part of
adductor magnus, triceps surae, tibialis posterior, popliteus, flexor digitorum longus,
and intrinsic muscles of foot
3. Common Fibular (peroneal) Nerve:
Cutaneous branch: to skin of anterior surface of leg and dorsum of foot
Motor branches: short head of biceps femoris of thigh, fibularis muscles of lateral
compartment of leg, tibialis anterior, extensor muscles of toes