The superior gemellus is innervated by which nerve?

The superior gemellus is innervated by which nerve?

• A. Nerve to obturator internus
• B. Nerve to quadratus femoris
• C. Posterior division of obturator nerve
• D. Obturator nerve

Answer: (A)

The nerve that supplies the superior gemellus is the nerve to obturator internus, a branch of the sacral plexus (L5–S2). This nerve specifically innervates the obturator internus and the superior gemellus, which are the two muscles sharing that same motor supply and lying above the obturator internus tendon. The nerve to quadratus femoris, by contrast, innervates the quadratus femoris and the inferior gemellus, not the superior gemellus. The obturator nerve proper provides motor fibers to the adductor group (and obturator externus), not to the gemellus muscles. The posterior division of the obturator nerve typically gives branches to obturator externus and certain hip joint muscles, but not to the superior gemellus.

The nerve that supplies the superior gemellus is the nerve to obturator internus, a branch of the sacral plexus (L5–S2). This nerve specifically innervates the obturator internus and the superior gemellus, which are the two muscles sharing that same motor supply and lying above the obturator internus tendon.

The nerve to quadratus femoris, by contrast, innervates the quadratus femoris and the inferior gemellus, not the superior gemellus. The obturator nerve proper provides motor fibers to the adductor group (and obturator externus), not to the gemellus muscles. The posterior division of the obturator nerve typically gives branches to obturator externus and certain hip joint muscles, but not to the superior gemellus.