Anatomy excursion: These are the identifying muscles | Herniated disc of L3/L4

Anatomy excursion: These are the identifying muscles

An identifying muscle denotes a functional impairment of a muscle which, with this functional impairment, indicates the nerve that is injured. If the spinal cord roots L3 /L4 are irritated, the nerves supplying the thigh muscles are affected. These include the M. quadriceps femoris, M. iliopsoas and the adductors.

These muscles are responsible for stretching the leg in the knee joint (M. quadriceps femoris), bringing one leg up to the other (adductors) and bending the thigh in the hip (M. iliopsoas). All these functions can be limited by a herniated disc.