Possible Femoral nerve impingement

by Rick
(Huntingburg, Indiana )

I have pain in the groin area that is aggravated when bending over on left side. I also have pain through the quad area and down into the front of the calf where one would associate with shin splints. I have trouble rotating lower leg mostly in. Also don't have much strength lifting leg up either extended or with knee bent. Have no reflex in left knee.


Walking is fairly normal although I do have a pronounced limp when first getting up and leg jerks or drops out randomly. I cannot run very well right now with little control over left leg when doing so. Am I even close in my thoughts?

Hello Rick,
Yes, this is possibly a femoral nerve impingement, but there are some strong suggestions that this may be a hip problem, either mimicking a pinched nerve, or in addition.

Lie on your back and pull your RIGHT knee to the chest and then to the opposite shoulder. Repeat with the naughty leg. Is it markedly stiffer and painful in the groin or side of the hip?

Type Patrick's fabere test into the search function at chiropractic help. Is your left hip much stiffer and painful?

If this rings any bells get an x-ray of the pelvis done.

The pain pattern in the leg also corresponds to the L3 and L4 nerve roots; the loss of the knee jerk reflex would confirm this possibility. However you would normally also have significant lower back pain, or at least a history of LBP. If you bounce on the leg with a slightly bent knee does it give WITHOUT PAIN IN THE LEG?

Both hip and back need to be considered.

Start doing our basic lumbar exercises every morning before getting out of bed. You'll find them in the navigation bar at chiropractic help.

Perhaps print this out and take it to your current doctor, chiropractor, or physical therapist.

Let me have some answers to the above. An interesting conundrum you have! Interesting for me, but perhaps not for you!

Dr B.

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