MSK Session 11- The Posterior Compartment Of The Leg Flashcards
What is the common distal attachment site of the three superficial muscles?
The calcaneal tendon
What is the alternative name for the calcaneal tendon?
Achilles’ tendon
What is the innervation of all the posterior leg muscles?
The tibial nerve
What is the tibial nerve a branch of?
The sciatic nerve
What is the main action of the superficial muscles?
Plantar flexion of the foot
What are the two actions of gastrocnemius?
- plantar flexion of the foot
- flexion of the knee
What are the two functions of plantaris?
Plantar flexion of the foot
Flexion of the knee
What is the action of soleus?
Plantar flexion of the foot
What are the four deep muscles of the posterior leg?
Popliteus
Flexor digitorum longus
Tibialis posterior
Flexor hallicus longus
What is the action of popliteus?
Unlocking of the knee by laterally rotating it over the tibia.
What is the action of flexor digitorum longus?
Flexes the lateral 4 toes
What are the actions of tibialis posterior? (2)
Inversion and plantar flexion of the foot.
What is the action of flexor hallicus longus?
Flexion of the great toe
What is the order of the deep muscles from medial to lateral?
Flexor digitorum longus
Tibialis posterior
Flexor hallicus longus
What is the order of structures around the medial malleolus?
Posterior to the medial malleolus:
- tibialis posterior
- flexor digitorum longus
- tibial artery
- tibial vein
- tibial nerve
- flexor hallicus longus
Where do you measure the true leg length?
ASIS to the medial malleolus
Where do you measure the relative leg length?
From the greater trochanter to the medial malleolus
What are the two branches of the sciatic nerve?
The tibial nerve and the common fibular nerve
What are the two branches of the common fibular nerve? What do they supply?
The deep and superficial fibular nerve
The anterior and lateral compartments of the leg respectively.
What is the course of the long saphenous vein?
It begins from the Dorsal venous arch and runs anterior to the medial malleolus before continuing up the medial aspect of the leg and draining into the femoral vein.
What is the course of the short saphenous vein?
It begins at the dorsal venous arch and travels posterior to the lateral malleolus and up the posterior leg before draining into the popliteal vein.
What two branches does the popliteal artery give?
The posterior and anterior tibial arteries.
What is the fibular artery a branch of?
The posterior tibial artery.
What are the four points of palpation?
Femoral artery
Popliteal artery
Dorsalis pedis artery
Posterior tibial artery
What are the three superficial muscles of the posterior leg?
Gastocnemius
Soleus
Plantaris
Why is the lower part of the calcaneus tendon often a point of weakness?
Because it has a poor blood supply.
