Femoral nerve dysfunction

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Femoral nerve damage

Neuropathy - femoral nerve

• Weakness of the knee or leg, including difficulty going up and down stairs -- especially down.
• Sensation changes in the thigh, knee, or leg, such as decreased sensation, numbness, tingling, burning, a feeling of the knee "giving way," or (uncommonly) pain.

A neuromuscular examination of the legs indicates femoral nerve dysfunction. There may be weakness on straightening the knee or bending at the hip. Sensation changes are located on the front upper thigh and inner calf. The knee jerk reflex may be abnormal. There may be atrophy (loss of muscle mass) of the quadriceps muscles of the front of the thigh.

Tests that reveal femoral nerve dysfunction may include:

• An EMG (a recording of electrical activity in muscles)
• Nerve conduction tests
• An MRI to check for masses or lesions

Review Date: 01/23/2006
Reviewed By: Kevin Sheth, M.D., Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.