Anteriolateral leg Flashcards
What nerve innervates the anterior compartment of the leg?
-Deep fibular (peroneal) nerve
What artery accompanies the deep fibular nerve and supplies the anterior compartment of the leg?
-Anterior tibial artery
What nerve innervates the lateral compartment of the leg?
-Superficial fibular nerve
What protects the deep fibular nerve?
-Tibialis anterior
Where is the leg anatomically?
-Between knee and ankle
What bones are in the leg?
- Tibia
- Fibula
Name the muscles in the anteriolateral leg
- Tibularis anterior
- Extensor digitorum longus
- Extensor hallucis longus
- Fibularis Tertius
- Fibularis longus
- Fibularis brevis
Where does the patella attach to the tibia?
-Patella ligament inserts into tibial tuberosity
How does the patella join to the femur?
-Quadriceps femoris tendon
What surrounds the anteriolateral leg compartment?
-Tough non-extensible fascia which arises from the periostium of the anterior tibia
What separates the lateral compartment from posterior and anterior?
-Intramuscular septa
Why is the leg so susceptible to compartent syndrome?
-Already tightly packed with muscles nerves and vessels
What are the first structures effects in compartement syndrome? What is the result of this?
- Low pressure veins
- Reduces venous outflow and further increases swelling
Why is it too late to wait for symptoms such as parasthesia and loss of pulses in compartment syndrome?
-Ischaemia will often have already ensued and muscle cannot regenerate
What are the key features used to recognise compartment syndrome?
- Pain that doesnt respond to analgesia
- Tightness
- Swelling
What is the function of the anterior compartment of the leg?
-Dorsiflexion (extension) of the foot
What are the muscles in the anterior compartment of the leg from deep to superficial?
- Fibularis tertius
- Extensor Hallucis Longus
- Extensor Digitorum Longus
- Tibialis Anterior
What covers all the tendons of the anterior compartment of the leg as they enter the foot?
-Extensor retinaculum
What is the function of the extensor retinaculum of the foot?
-Hold tendons close to bone and prevent bowstringing during movement
Where is fibularis terius found in the anterior compartment of the leg?
-Deep and most lateral
What is the function of fibularis tertius?
- Dorsiflex
- Evert the anke
Where do all of the muscles of the anterior compartment of the leg, except tibialis anterior, arise from?
-The fibular
How is EHL esily identified in dissection?
-Has a long tendon which attaches to the distal phalynx of the great toe
What is the function of EHL?
-Extend the great toe
Where does the EDL insert?
-Phalanges of 2-5th toes
What is the function of EDL?
-Dorsiflexion of 2-5 toes
What is the function of tibialis anterior?
- Dorsiflexion
- Inversion
What is the normal degree of active dorsiflexion at the ankle joint?
10-15 degrees
What muscles are in the lateral compartment of the leg?
- Fibularis longus
- Fibularis brevis
What is the deepest muscle in the lateral compartment of the leg?
-Fibularis brevis
Where do fibularis longus and brevis pass in relation to the lateral malleolus?
-Posterior
Do both tendons of fibularis longus and brevis come in contact with bone at the lateral malleolus?
-No, fibularis longus tendon lays on top of fibularis brevis
Where does the tendon of fibularis longus insert?
-Runs obliquely across the dorsum and attaches to 1st metatarsal
What are the function of the lateral compartement of the leg?
- Evert
- Weakly plantarflex
How does the lateral compartment of the leg receive its blood supply?
-Perforating arteries from anterior tibial artery and fibular artery
What are the common signs of common fibular nerve damage?
- Footdrop (due to unopposed plantarflexion)
- Highstepping gait (lift plantarflexed foot)
- Weakened eversion (lateral compartement paralysed)
- Sensory loss of lower lateral leg and dorsum of foot
