LOWER LIMB MUSCLES: POSTERIOR LEG

Question 1

Which nerves innervate the flexor digitorum longus?

Answer 1

tibial nerve

Question 2

Which blood vessels supply the flexor digitorum longus?

Answer 2

posterior tibial artery

Question 3

Where is the origin of the flexor digitorum longus?

Answer 3

posterior surface of tibia and fascial over the tibialis posterior

Question 4

Where is the insertion of the flexor digitorum longus?

Answer 4

plantar surface at base of distal phalanges of lateral 4 toes

Question 5

What is the function of the flexor digitorum longus?

Answer 5

flexes IP joints of lateral 4 toes and aids in plantar flexion of the foot

Question 6

Which nerves innervate the flexor hallucis longus?

Answer 6

tibial nerve

Question 7

Which blood vessels supply the flexor hallucis longus?

Answer 7

posterior tibial artery

Question 8

Where is the origin of the flexor hallucis longus?

Answer 8

posterioinferior surface of the fibula and adjacent interosseous membrane

Question 9

Where is the insertion of the flexor hallucis longus?

Answer 9

base of distal phalanx of great toe

Question 10

What is the function of the flexor hallucis longus?

Answer 10

flexes great toe and aids in plantar flexion

Question 11

Which nerves innervate the popliteus?

Answer 11

tibial nerve

Question 12

Which blood vessels supply the popliteus?

Answer 12

genicular branches of the popliteal artery

Question 13

Where is the origin of the popliteus?

Answer 13

lateral condyle of femur and popliteal ligament of knee

Question 14

Where is the insertion of the popliteus?

Answer 14

posterior surface of tibia above soleal line

Question 15

What is the function of the popliteus?

Answer 15

rotates femur laterally with foot fixed and rotates tibia medially with foot off the ground and aids with flexion of the leg

Question 16

Which nerves innervate the posterior tibialis?

Answer 16

tibial nerve

Question 17

Which blood vessels supply the posterior tibialis?

Answer 17

fibular artery from posterior tibial artery

Question 18

Where is the origin of the posterior tibialis?

Answer 18

posteriolateral surface of tibia and superior 2/3 of the fibula and interosseous membrane

Question 19

Where is the insertion of the posterior tibialis?

Answer 19

tuberosity of the navicular bone and plantar surface of all cuneiform bones, plantar surface of the base of 2nd-4th metatarsals, cuboid and sustentaculum tali

Question 20

What is the function of the posterior tibialis?

Answer 20

plantar flexion and inversion of the lateral 4 toes

Question 21

Which nerves innervate the gastrocnemius?

Answer 21

tibial nerve

Question 22

Which blood vessels supply the gastrocnemius?

Answer 22

popliteal artery

Question 23

Where is the origin of the gastrocnemius?

Answer 23

medial and lateral condyles of the femur and capsule of the knee joint

Question 24

Where is the insertion of the of the gastrocnemius?

Answer 24

posterioinferior surface of the calcaneus

Question 25

What is the function of the gastrocnemius?

Answer 25

plantar flexes foot with foot stable and flexes the femur on the tibia

Question 26

Which nerves innervate the plantaris?

Answer 26

tibial nerve

Question 27

Which blood vessels supply the plantaris?

Answer 27

sural branches of the popliteal artery

Question 28

Where is the origin of the plantaris?

Answer 28

lateral supracondylar line of femur and oblique popliteal ligament of knee joint

Question 29

Where is the insertion of the plantaris?

Answer 29

via calcaneal tendon into medial side of posterior surface of calcaneus

Question 30

What is the function of the plantaris?

Answer 30

plantar flexes foot

Question 31

Which nerves innervate the soleus?

Answer 31

tibial nerve

Question 32

Which blood vessels supply the soleus?

Answer 32

posterior tibial artery and sural branches of popliteal artery

Question 33

Where is the origin of the soleus?

Answer 33

head and superior 1/3 of fibula; middle 1/3 of tibia and tendon between the tibia and fibula

Question 34

Where is the insertion of the soleus?

Answer 34

calcaneus with the tendon of gastrocnemius

Question 35

What is the function of the soleus?

Answer 35

plantar flexes foot

Question 36

Which nerve innervates the posterior leg?

Answer 36

tibial nerve

Question 37

What are the anatomical structures nicknamed the “Tom, Dick And Very Nervous Harry”?

Answer 37

Tom, Dick And Very Nervous Harry can be used to remember the anatomy of the ankle tendons from anterior to posterior as they pass posteriorly to the medial malleolus under the flexor retinaculum in the tarsal tunnel [posterior compartment (deep layer) muscles of the leg]: ▪️T: tibialis posterior ▪️D: flexor digitorum longus ▪️A: artery (posterior tibial) ▪️V: vein (posterior tibial) ▪️N: nerve (tibial) ▪️H: flexor hallucis longus ⠀ All three Tom, Dick, and Harry muscles cross the subtalar joint on the medial side, so they all invert the foot at the subtalar joint. Inversion is the frontal plane component, and the principal cardinal plane component, of a larger oblique plane motion pattern known as supination of the foot (supination = raising the arch of the foot). They also all cross the ankle joint posteriorly, so they also all do plantarflexion of the foot at the ankle joint.