Superior clunal nerve

Last revised by Joachim Feger on 27 Dec 2022

The superior clunal nerve is a sensory nerve that originates from the dorsal rami of T11 – L4. The nerve travels obliquely across the buttock.  It penetrates thoracolumbar fascia at the iliac crest 1-3. Approximately, half of the nerve fibers travel within an osteofibrous tunnel of the iliac crest 4. It supplies sensory sensation to the superior two-thirds of the buttock.

Clinical importance

The superior clunal nerves are associated with low back pain due to entrapment of the nerve in an osteofibrous tunnel of the iliac crest or underneath the thoracolumbar fascia.

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