Anatomy of Lower Limb Flashcards
Femoral artery is behind inguinal ligament (anterior structure) &
Moves thru abd magnus into the popliteal fossa;
neurovascular bundle location (where it travels)
what does the small saphenous vein join with? and where is this?
small saphenous comes from the lateral leg and dumps into the popliteal vein
where does the sural nerve come from?
Sural nerve is cutaneous that arises in popliteal
clinical consideratiosn of the popliteal fossa anatomy
Lymph nodes could be enlarged due to infxn all the way in large toe
what is the leg?
what is leg function dependent on?
Muscle compartments are important for function of leg
why is there a tibia and fibula instead of one big bone in the leg?
Tibia hold weight of body and transmits this down to the ankle
Don’t want too much weight, so by adding another bone, you can minimize the weight and the interosseous membrane holds these bones together (plus other muscle attachments)
Bones are same length but fibula is a little lower
Medial malleolus is on tibia; lateral malleolus on fibula
what are the superficial structures of the leg?
Drains medial foot and leg & dumps into saphenous opening in thigh
Saphenous nerve (branch of femoral nerve) follows the vein
what are the superfificial cutaneous tructures in the posterior leg?
the sural (Cutaneous) nerve moves with the small saphenous vein
crural fascia and facial compartments
Interosseous links tibia and fibula and makes anterior and posterior compartments. Posterior is often divided into two parts (deep and superficial); lateral compartment also exists.
anterior muscle compartment: tendons pass where?
lateral muscle compartment: tendons pass where?
superficial posterior compartment: tendons pass where?
tendon goes down to the calcaneus
deep posterior compartment: tendons pass where?
cross section of the leg: anterior compartment
what are the three main muscles of the anterior compartment of the leg?
Tibialis anterior - attached at base of big toe; extensor
Extensor digitorum longus: forms on fibula and divides into 4 tendons (distal phalynx of lateral four toes)
Extensor hallucis longus: goes to distal phalynx of big toe (passes in front of ankle joint)
^^^these are all extensors
Fibularis tertius: attaches at base of 5th metatarsal; innervated by same nerves from anterior compartment; acts as extensor
actions of the anterior compartment muscles?
Like if you’re standing on your heels; don’t want to stub toe, so you dorsiflex ankle joint a little (these muscles do this)
Tibialis helps smooth out the gait
innervation of the anterior compartment
Common fibular nerve splits into deep and superficial fibular nerve
injury to the common fibular nerve leads to what?
Slap foot gait if this nerve function is lost
lateral muscle compartment cross-section
served by superficial fibular nerve
muscles of the lateral compartment of the leg
Fibularis longus: arises along shaft of fibula and goes past lateral malleolus and moves under the foot
Brevis: deep to the longus; tendon moves along lateral malleolus and stops at the base of the 5th metatarsal
innervation of the lateral compartment of the leg
serves longus and brevis
lateral compartment muscle function
posterior compartment “superficial” muscle layer cross-section
GC: arises on femur
soleus: arises on tibia
muscles of the posterior compartment superficial muscle layer
soleus tendon is at calcaneus
anti-gravity muscles (jump, climb, used in gait to push you forward)
function of superficial calf muscles
Tibial nerve (comes from sciatic nerve) moves down popliteal fossa and down medial side of leg
soleus = more powerful
cross-section of posterior compartment, deep layer
these are smaller muscles
flexor hallucis longus attachment
Flexor hallucis longus is the most powerful; gives a little boost to propel you forward
flexor digitorum longus attachment
Weaker; arises on shaft of tibia and winds around medial malleolus
Has four tendons to the lateral 4 toes
Flexor
tibialis posterior attachment
Goes to the arch of the foot
This inverts soles of feet (soles of feet would be facing each other)
tibialis posterior clinical indications
Swelling would be deleterious to nerve/artery function
Can often be seen in athletes (hypertrophy of muscle fibers)
order of the three tendons from deep posterior compartment
Retinaculum keeps the tendons in position
Posterior tibial artery branches (at the flexor retinaculum) into medial and lateral artery that serve the sole of the foot
major arteries of the leg
Popliteal artery branches into anterior and psoterior tibial artery. Then it makes naother branch (fibular artery)
Posterior goes to flexor retinaculum where it forms lateral and medial plantar arteries
Right (looking at front): anterior tibial artery mvoe sin front of interossues membrane to cross front of ankle
major arteries of the leg con’t
Anterior tibial artery serves the anterior compartment
Deep fibular nerve serves this compartment
Sural arteries feed the head of the gastrocnemius. GC arteries come from two arteries in the popliteal fossa
posterior tibial and fibular arteries
clinical considerations of leg anatomy
Osgood-Schlatter: can damage growth plate
Foot drop gait: you flex knee to a large degree and can’t lower it properly, so you slap it down
clinical considerations con’t
surface anatomy of the dorsal and lateral foot
surface anatomy of the medial and lateral foot
what allow the leg muscle tendons to change the direction of pulling force at the ankle?
Retinacula keep tendons in right spot
Superior extensor retinaculum: keeps extensor muscle tendons in place and allows them to move smoothly
Inferior extensor retinaculum: starts on calcaneal bone and moves toward medial malleolus & the other arm moves around sole of foot
Sole of the foot
Sole of the foot is thick/tough and full of soft tissue
Plantar aponeurosis: flat ligament structure
how do humans walk on the soles of their lower limbs?
1st and 2nd sesamoid bones hold 50% of body weight
skeleton of the dorsal foot
articular cartilage exists on dorsal side of metatarsals
cunieform (1-3), navicular, and cuboid = small tarsals
talus and calcaneus = large tarsals
skeleton of the plantar foot
calcaneous bone
talus compared to calcaneous (in space)
lateral view of foot
Head of talus has trochlear surface
Everything inferior to talus are used for inversion and eversion
what prevents crushing of the tendon?
sesamoid bones prevent crushing of tendon
soft tissues of the foot: the plantar fasciae is comprised of what?
fat acts as a shock absorber
how many muscle layers are there in the plantar compartment of the foot?
just know there are lots of little muscles in the foot; may act as sensors for proprioception
foot muscles that perform the most function attach to ________
calcaneus
major arteries of the plantar foot
Plantar arch sends artery branches to dorsal foot
what innervates the plantar muscles?
Tibial nerve divides into medial and lateral plantar nerve
what are the two mucsles on the dorsal foot? what is their innervation?
anterior tibial artery
major arteries of the dorsal foot
major arteries of the plantar foot
superficial/cutaneous innervation of plantar and dorsal foot
Superficial tibial nerve does most of dorsum of foot; saphenous nerve comes from femoral triangle and goes to medial foot; sural nerve does lateral form of foot [and part of sole of foot]
Medial plantar nerve does medial side of bottom of foot; lateral plantar nerve does lateral side; calcaneal branch does the heel
Deep fibular nerve (does that small part on the 2nd toe)
architectural bony arches of the foot
superior view of medial and lateral arch in foot
what prevents arch collapse in the foot?
plantar aponeurosis prevents arch collapse
ligaments in the foot
what provides major support to the longitudinal arches?
talocalcaneo (subtalar) joint
The plantar calcaneonavicular ligament hold the talus up
what joints are the talus involved in?
clinical anatomy of the foot
