Posterior and Anterolateral Leg Flashcards
What lies between the medial and lateral tubercle of the talus
Groove for flexor hallucis longus tendon
Navicular tuberosity is attachment for
Tibialis posterior
Superficial posterior group of leg includes
Gastrocnemius- most superficial
Soleus - triceps surae
Plantaris
Deep posterior group of leg includes
Popliteus
Flexor hallucis longus
Flexor digitorum longus
Tibialis posterior
Tibial nerve and posterior tibial vessels are deep to what
Transverse crural intermuscular septum
Insertion for gastrocnemius
Posterior surface of calcaneus via tendo calcaneus (achilles tendon)
Function of gastrocnemius
Plantar flexion and flexes leg at knee joint
Soleus attachments, function, forms what big muscle with gastrocnemius
Soleal line of tibia
Posterior head of fibula/superior 1/4 of posterior fibula
Inserts into posterior calcaneus via tendo calcaneus
Forms triceps surae with gastrocnemius (these form the calf prominence)
Plantarflexion
Plantaris origin, insertion, function,
Small, sometimes absent muscle
O: Lateral end of lateral supracondylar line
I: posterior calcaneus via calcaneal tendon
Weak plantarflexion and leg flexion
Proposed to be a proprioceptive organ for foot position because of its high density of proprioceptive receptors
Long tendon of plantaris useful for
Commonly used in reconstructive surgery of hand tendons
Possibility of rupture during violent ankle movements, common in basketball players/sprinters/ballet dancers
Pain may be so severe that you cant bare weight
Popliteus description, attachments, functions
Deep to plantaris, forms inferior floor of popliteal fossa
O- posterior tibia superior to soleal line
I- lateral surface of lateral femoral condyle
Unlocks extended leg by laterally rotating femur on a stationary tibia
Also flexes leg weakly
Flexor hallucis longus description, attachments, function
Lies deep to soleus, largest posterior muscle
O- inferior 2/3 of posterior fibula
I-Base of distal phalanx of great toe
Tendon crosses deep to FDL tendon in sole of foot
Flexes great toe and plantarflexion
Flexor digitorum longus description, attachments, function
Deep to soleus and posterior to tibia
Tendon passes deep to tibialis posterior, then diagonally in sole of foot superficial to FHL tendon
O- posterior tibia superior to soleal line
I- distal phalanx of lateral 4 digits
Flexes lateral 4 digits and plantarflexes foot
Tibialis posterior description, attachments, function
Deepest posterior crural muscle, lies b/w FDL and FHL
Tendon passes anterior to FDL
O- interosseous membrane, posterior tibia, posteromedial fibula
I- Navicular tuberosity, cuneiforms, 2-4 metatarsals
Inversion, plantarflexion of foot
What nerve supplies all posterior compartment muscles
Tibial nerve
Tibial nerve path
Passes with posterior tibial vessels deep to soleus and posterior to tibialis posterior
Leaves posterior compartment by passing deep to flexor retinaculum b/w medial malleolus and calcaneus
Ends by dividing into medial and lateral plantar nerves
Posterior tibial artery path
Begins near inferior border of popliteus deep to soleus
Gives rise to fibular artery
Passes inferomedially on posterior surface of tibialis posterior with tibial nerve
Runs deep to flexor retinaculum
Vascularizes posterior compartment
Ends by dividing into medial and lateral plantar arteriess
Fibular artery path
Largest branch of posterior tibial artery
Begins inferior to distal border of popliteus
Descends obliquely towards fibula, usually under FHL
Ends by giving off a perforating branch as well as terminal lateral malleolar (anastomosis with anterior lateral malleolar) and calcaneal branches (supplies heel)
Vascularizes posterior and lateral compartments
Crural fascia
Continuous with fascia lata
Covers leg muscles
Thickens distally to form extensor retinaculum
Muscles in the anterior compartment include
Tibialis anterior
Extensor hallucis longus
Extensor digitorum longus
Fibularis tertius
Primary functions of anterior leg muscles
Toe extension, foot dorsiflexion
Tibialis anterior description, attachments, function
Long thick muscle on anterolateral tibial
O- Lateral tibial condyle and superolateral half of tibia
I- medial surface of first/medial cuneiform and first metatarsal base
Dorsiflexes and inverts foot
Extensor digitorum longus attachments and function
O- Lateral tibial condyle, anterior fibular surface, interosseous membrane
I- each of four tendons forms extensor expansion of dorsum of lateral four proximal phalanges that divide into two lateral slips (attach to distal phalanx) and one central slip (attach to middle phalanx)
Fibularis tertius description, attachments, function
Fuse with digitorum longus proximally Tendon does not attach to digit Variably present O- anteroinferior fibular surface I- dorsum of fifth metatarsal base Dorsiflexion and eversion of foot
Extensor hallucis longus description, attachments, function
Lateral to tibialis anterior
O- anteromedial fibular surface and Int. membrane, medial to proximal attachment of extensor digitorum longus
I- base of distal phalanx of hallux
Extends big toe and dorsiflexes ankle
Deep fibular nerve
One of two terminal branches of common fibular N.
Begins b/w fibula and fibularis longus muscle
Runs inferomedially w/anterior tibial vessels between tibialis anterior and EHL. Ends in medial and lateral terminal branches on dorsum of foot
Deep fibular nerve supplies
Anterior compartment muscles
Ankle joint and metacarpal phalangeal joints
Dorsal intrinsic foot muscles
Skin b/w first and second digits
Anterior tibial artery path
Arises from popliteal artery
Begins near inferior border of popliteus muscle, tibial tuberosity is approximate branch point of tibial artery into ant/posterior branches
Passes anteriorly over interosseous membrane
Descends of anterior surface of IO membrane b/w EHL and TA muscles with deep fibular nerve
Ends at ankle b/w malleoli to become dorsalis pedis artery
Lateral compartment of leg contains
Fibularis longus
Fibularis brevis
Fibularis longus description, attachments, function
Extends from fibular head to sole of foot
Superficial to fibularis brevis
O- head and superolateral 2/3 of fibula
Passes inferior just posterior to lateral malleolus
Runs obliquely and distally across sole of foot to attach distally to first metatarsal and medial cuneiform bone
Eversion and plantarflexion
Cuboid sulcus
Cuboid is most lateral bone in distal row of tarsus
Sulcus is a groove for the fibularis longus
Fibularis brevis description, attachments, function
Deep to fibularis longus O- inferolateral 2/3rds fibula Descends posterior to lateral malleolus I- dorsal surface of tuberosity on lateral side of 5th metatarsal Eversion and plantarflexion
Superficial fibular nerve description/path
One of the two terminal branches of common fibular N.
Begins b/w fibularis longus and fibula
Descends b/w fibular muscles and lateral to EDL
Becomes superficial in distal third of leg
Superficial fibular nerve supplies
Anteroinferior leg
Nearly entire dorsal surface of foot
Most of dorsal aspects of digits
Common fibular nerve injury
Results in paralysis of all anterior/lateral crural muscles
Causes foot drop
If leg is swung strongly forward the foot strikes with a clop noise
Loss of sensation along anterolateral leg and dorsum of foot
Arterial supply to lateral compartment
Branches that pass anteriorly from the fibular artery
The one compartment without a distinct arterial branch accompanying the compartment nerve
Fibular artery is largest branch of posterior tibial artery
Shin splints
Due to repetitive microtrauma of tibialis anterior
Inducing small tears to periosteum over tibia, and/or tears to overlying deep fascia
Is a mild form of compartmental syndrome (swelling of tibialis anterior due to repetitive ground reaction force)
