Posterior Compartment of the Leg

Question 1

The popliteal fossa is bounded by which muscles?

Answer 1

• Semitendinosus/semimembranosus (superomedially)
• Biceps femoris (superolaterally)
• Medial and lateral heads of gastrocnemius (inferiorly)

Question 2

The small saphenous vein ends in the _____1_____ by passing through the _____2_______ in the median plane of the limb to drain into the ________3________

Answer 2

1) popliteal fossa
2) deep popliteal fascia
3) popliteal vein

Question 3

What does the popliteal fossa contain?

Answer 3

The popliteal fossa contains a major neurovascular bundle: in the median plane of the fossa, from superficial to deep, lie the tibial nerve (from the sciatic nerve), the popliteal vein (continuation of the posterior tibial vein(s)) and popliteal artery (continuation of the femoral artery). Popliteal lymph nodes are located along the popliteal vein in the fossa.

Question 4

What are where does the sciatic nerve commonly divide?

Answer 4

at the superior apex of the fossa into tibial nerve and common fibular nerve (if that division has not already taken place within the gluteal region or posterior compartment of thigh).

Question 5

The _______nerves are located within the region of the popliteal fossa (mainly in superficial fascia) and supply skin and fascia on the _________ aspect of the leg and foot

Answer 5

sural

posterolateral

Question 6

The __________ is vulnerable to compression injury against the neck of the fibula

Answer 6

common fibular nerve

Question 7

What are the superficial muscles of the posterior leg?

Answer 7

gastrocnemius, soleus, and plantaris.

Question 8

What are the deep muscles of the posterior leg?

Answer 8

popliteus, flexor hallucis longus (FHL), flexor digitorum longus (FDL) and tibialis posterior

Question 9

Where do all superficial muscles of the posterior compartment of the leg distally attach?

Answer 9

The posterior surface of the calcaneus by the calcanea tendon

Question 10

What nerve innervates all the muscles of the posterior compartment of the leg?

Answer 10

The tibial nerve

Question 11

Gastrocenemius has two ____ and two ______

Answer 11

heads and bellies medial and lateral

Question 12

Proximal and distal attachments of gastrocnemius? Action?

Answer 12

Proximal: lateral head attach to lateral aspect of the condyle of the femur and medial head attach to the medial condyle of the femur
Distal: posterior surface of the calcaneus via the calcanea tendon
Action: weak knee flexor and powerful ankle plantar-flexor

Question 13

Proximal and distal attachments of soleus? Action?

Answer 13

Proximal: neck of fibula and soleal line of fibula
Distal: Posterior surface of calcaneus via calcanea tendon
Action: Plantarflexes ankle

Question 14

The plantaris muscle is not _________

Answer 14

necessary and not everyone has it

Question 15

Proximal and distal attachments of plantaris? Action?

Answer 15

Proximal: Inferior end of lateral supracondylar line of femur; oblique popliteal ligament
Distal: Posterior surface of calcaneus via calcaneal tendon

Question 16

The popliteal artery divides immediately distal to the _____1______ into the _______2___________. The fibular artery is a branch of the ______3_______.

Answer 16

1) popliteal fossa
2) anterior and posterior tibial arteries
3) posterior tibial artery

Question 17

The anterior tibial artery pierces the ____________

Answer 17

interosseous membrane to supply the anterior compartment of the leg.

Question 18

The_______1________ supplies the posterior compartment. It runs with the tibial nerve, mainly between the superficial and deep muscles. The posterior tibial artery leaves the compartment by passing _____________2___________ In the foot, the posterior tibial artery terminates by dividing into the __________3___________

Answer 18

1) posterior tibial artery
2) posterior to the medial malleolus (where the posterior tibial pulse is taken) and deep to the flexor retinaculum.
3) medial and lateral planter arteries.

Question 19

The fibular artery branches from the _______1________in the proximal half of the compartment.
It descends in the compartment on the posterior intermuscular septum and sends perforating branches through the septum to supply the _____2______ compartment of the leg.

Answer 19

1) posterior tibial artery

2) lateral

Question 20

Why is the sciatic nerve so clinically important?

Answer 20

Extensive distribution- The sciatic nerve supplies the muscles in the posterior compartment of thigh and, via its divisions, also supplies the muscles in all the compartments of the leg and the intrinsic muscles of the foot.

Question 21

Action of deep group of the posterior compartment of the leg?

Answer 21

Flexors of toe and plantarflexors of the ankle

Question 22

Popliteus proximal and distal attachments?

Answer 22

Proximal: lateral condyle of femur
Distal: Posterior surface of tibia superior to soleal line

Question 23

Flexor hallucis longus proximal and distal attachments?

Answer 23

Proximal: posterior surface of fibula and inferior part of interseossus membrane
Distal: base of distal phalanx of great toe

Question 24

Flexor digitorum longus proximal and distal attachments?

Answer 24

Proximal: posterior surface of tibia below the soleal line
Distal: Bases of distal phalanges of lateral four digits.

Question 25

Tibialis Posterior proximal and distal attachments?

Answer 25

Proximal: interosseous membrane, posterior tibia and posterior fibula
Distal: Tarsal bones

Question 26

Where do all deep muscles of posterior leg compartment attach to?

Answer 26

tibia (inferior to soleal line), mid-shaft of the fibula and the interosseous membrane

Question 27

Calcaneal tendon is also known as?

Answer 27

Achilles tendon.

Tendons of gastrocnemius and soleus together

Question 28

What is thickest and strongest tendon in the body? What is it formed from?

Answer 28

Calcaneal (achilles)

Question 29

Where does the calcaneal tendon attach to?

Answer 29

The calcaneal tuberosity of the calcaneus