Lower limb
Inferior gluteal nerve
Nervus gluteus inferior
- Origin
- Arises from the posterior divisions of the sacral plexus anterior rami L5, S1, S2
- Insertion
- Exits the pelvis through the infrapiriform foramen and arborizes directly into the deep surface of gluteus maximus
- Function
- Pure motor supply to gluteus maximus, the most powerful hip extensor in the human body
- Innervation
- Pure motor nerve (L5, S1, S2)
- Movement & chain
- Drives powerful hip extension from a flexed position (rising from seated posture, stair climbing, running)
- Palpation
- Not palpable beneath gluteus maximus muscle mass
- Clinical
- Gluteus maximus lurch (backward trunk lean at heel strike to prevent hip collapse); injured during posterior hip exposures and complex pelvic trauma
- Segmental innervation
- L5, S1, S2 spinal cord levels
- In clinical practice
- Prone hip extension manual muscle testing; rehabilitation protocols focusing on gluteal kinetic chain activation
- Region in the model
- Lower limb