MSK Session 11- The Posterior Compartment Of The Leg

Question 1

What is the common distal attachment site of the three superficial muscles?

Answer 1

The calcaneal tendon

Question 2

What is the alternative name for the calcaneal tendon?

Answer 2

Achilles’ tendon

Question 3

What is the innervation of all the posterior leg muscles?

Answer 3

The tibial nerve

Question 4

What is the tibial nerve a branch of?

Answer 4

The sciatic nerve

Question 5

What is the main action of the superficial muscles?

Answer 5

Plantar flexion of the foot

Question 6

What are the two actions of gastrocnemius?

Answer 6

• plantar flexion of the foot

- flexion of the knee

Question 7

What are the two functions of plantaris?

Answer 7

Plantar flexion of the foot

Flexion of the knee

Question 8

What is the action of soleus?

Answer 8

Plantar flexion of the foot

Question 9

What are the four deep muscles of the posterior leg?

Answer 9

Popliteus
Flexor digitorum longus
Tibialis posterior
Flexor hallicus longus

Question 10

What is the action of popliteus?

Answer 10

Unlocking of the knee by laterally rotating it over the tibia.

Question 11

What is the action of flexor digitorum longus?

Answer 11

Flexes the lateral 4 toes

Question 12

What are the actions of tibialis posterior? (2)

Answer 12

Inversion and plantar flexion of the foot.

Question 13

What is the action of flexor hallicus longus?

Answer 13

Flexion of the great toe

Question 14

What is the order of the deep muscles from medial to lateral?

Answer 14

Flexor digitorum longus
Tibialis posterior
Flexor hallicus longus

Question 15

What is the order of structures around the medial malleolus?

Answer 15

Posterior to the medial malleolus:

• tibialis posterior
• flexor digitorum longus
• tibial artery
• tibial vein
• tibial nerve
• flexor hallicus longus

Question 16

Where do you measure the true leg length?

Answer 16

ASIS to the medial malleolus

Question 17

Where do you measure the relative leg length?

Answer 17

From the greater trochanter to the medial malleolus

Question 18

What are the two branches of the sciatic nerve?

Answer 18

The tibial nerve and the common fibular nerve

Question 19

What are the two branches of the common fibular nerve? What do they supply?

Answer 19

The deep and superficial fibular nerve

The anterior and lateral compartments of the leg respectively.

Question 20

What is the course of the long saphenous vein?

Answer 20

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.

Question 21

What is the course of the short saphenous vein?

Answer 21

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.

Question 22

What two branches does the popliteal artery give?

Answer 22

The posterior and anterior tibial arteries.

Question 23

What is the fibular artery a branch of?

Answer 23

The posterior tibial artery.

Question 24

What are the four points of palpation?

Answer 24

Femoral artery
Popliteal artery
Dorsalis pedis artery
Posterior tibial artery

Question 25

What are the three superficial muscles of the posterior leg?

Answer 25

Gastocnemius
Soleus
Plantaris

Question 26

Why is the lower part of the calcaneus tendon often a point of weakness?

Answer 26

Because it has a poor blood supply.