Medial Knee Pain? Hip Pain? Try this Obturator Nerve Glide!

The obturator nerve innervates both the hip and knee joint in addition to the adductor muscles and skin sensation from the medial thigh.⁣
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In the hip joint obturator nerve entrapment can feel very similar to a hip labral tear, including a sharp pinching feeling with hip adduction and internal rotation.⁣
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In the knee joint it will feel like diffuse generalized medial, anteriomedial, or posteriomedial pain.⁣
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I often treat the obturator nerve with manual therapy at the obturator canal at the pelvis where the anterior and posterior branches differentiate. It can also be useful to treat the area of skin the cutaneous branch innervates on the thigh, and at the area of the sub-sartorial plexus, just superior and lateral to the adductor hiatus, as well as the adductor hiatus.⁣
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This active nerve mobilization is great to affect the nerve mobility globally and I use often in conjunction with manual therapy.⁣
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Given the posterior branches role in the innervation of the posterior adductor magnus, and popliteus, it would be interesting to use a variation of a nerve glide with more hip flexion too.⁣
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When you understand the anatomy, it can be easier to get creative with both hands of and hands on interventions!⁣
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Some other things to pair with this exercise- knee circles, hip circles, scrape the barrel, tailor sit, 90/90 sit, and pelvic clocks.⁣
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Give it a try and see what you feel!

Interested in learning more nerve mobilization techniques? Check out the Pop Up Nerve webinar in the link here: www.MovementREV.com/links-ig Recording available for purchase!