Lower limb: gluteus maximus: practice question

A Anatomy question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Anatomy · Lower limb: gluteus maximus

Sample item

After a posterior approach to the hip a man walks normally on level ground, but cannot climb stairs or rise from a squat without pushing on his thigh. Knee extension is normal. Which nerve was injured?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

C. Inferior gluteal nerve

Gluteus maximus is the powerful extensor of the hip, recruited when the flexed hip must be extended against resistance, as in climbing stairs, rising from a squat or running uphill. It is supplied by the inferior gluteal nerve (L5 to S2) which exits the pelvis below piriformis. Normal knee extension excludes quadriceps weakness.

Option by option

  • A. Superior gluteal nerve

    The superior gluteal nerve supplies abductors, and its injury causes a Trendelenburg gait.

  • B. Femoral nerve

    The femoral nerve supplies quadriceps, and its injury would impair knee extension.

  • C. Inferior gluteal nerve (correct)

    The inferior gluteal nerve supplies gluteus maximus, the main hip extensor.

  • D. Nerve to quadratus femoris

    The nerve to quadratus femoris supplies a lateral rotator and the inferior gemellus and has little effect on stairs.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Anatomy questions

Questions about this Anatomy question

What is the answer to this Anatomy question?

The best answer is C, Inferior gluteal nerve. Gluteus maximus is the powerful extensor of the hip, recruited when the flexed hip must be extended against resistance, as in climbing stairs, rising from a squat or running uphill.

Why is "Superior gluteal nerve" not the answer?

The superior gluteal nerve supplies abductors, and its injury causes a Trendelenburg gait.

Why is "Femoral nerve" not the answer?

The femoral nerve supplies quadriceps, and its injury would impair knee extension.

Why is "Nerve to quadratus femoris" not the answer?

The nerve to quadratus femoris supplies a lateral rotator and the inferior gemellus and has little effect on stairs.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Lower limb: gluteus maximus in Anatomy. It is supplied by the inferior gluteal nerve (L5 to S2) which exits the pelvis below piriformis. Normal knee extension excludes quadriceps weakness.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Lower limb: gluteus maximus?

Learn every nerve by its route, its muscles and what a lesion looks like at the bedside. That one habit answers a large share of questions. Then use the flashcards and the other Anatomy questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.