At the L2 level, which muscle groups show 3/5 strength?

• A. Hip flexors and hip adductors
• B. Knee extensors and dorsiflexors
• C. Paraspinals and abdominals
• D. Hip extensors and knee flexors

Answer: (A)

At the L2 level, the muscles labeled for testing are the hip flexors (iliopsoas) and the hip adductors. These are the muscle groups innervated by the L2 nerve root, so they’re the ones you’d expect to see weakness in when assessing L2 function. A strength of 3/5 means the person can move the limb against gravity but not against added resistance, so you’d observe active hip flexion and hip adduction that can lift the leg or pull it toward the midline without holding up against resistance. The other options involve muscles primarily supplied by lower or different spinal levels (knee extensors and dorsiflexors by L3-L5; paraspinals/abdomen by different segments; hip extensors and knee flexors by L5-S1 or other levels), making them less likely to be 3/5 at L2.