Posterior compartment of the leg - general features, posterior tibial artery, tibial nerve (dave's notes)

Question 1

What is the cutaneous nerve to the posterior aspect of the leg?

Answer 1

The termination of the posterior femoral cutaneous nerve halfway to the ankle. Below this the skin is supplied by the sural (back) and peroneal communicating nerves (lateral), and saphenous (medial).

Question 2

What does the deep fascia of the posterior leg arise from? Where does it attach? What does it form?

Answer 2

The deep fascia is a continuation of teh popliteal fascia and is attached to the posterior border of the tibia, and is thickened above the heel where it forms a type of pulley.

Question 3

Where does the posterior tibial artery arise? Where does it divide? Into what?

Answer 3

Arises at the lower border of popliteus (division of A/P tibial branches), passes down ending under the flexor retinaculum by dividing into the medial and lateral plantar arteries.

Question 4

Where may the PT pulse be palpated?

Answer 4

2.5cm in front of the tendon achilles at the level of the medial malleolus

Question 5

What additional branch is given off by the posterior tibial artery?

Answer 5

A nutrient artery to the tibia peroneal?? fibular artery??

Question 6

Where does the tibial nerve run? What does it lie on?

Answer 6

Runs straight down the midline of the calf (deep to soleus) lying on the fibular aponeurosis.

Question 7

How is the posterior tibial artery found relative to the tibial nerve?

Answer 7

The posterior tibial artery is at first lateral but passes deep through to its medial side.

Question 8

Where does the tibial nerve end? What are its terminal branches?

Answer 8

Ends in the middle of the flexor retinaculum, as medial and lateral plantar nerves.

Question 9

What compartment does the tibial nerve supply?

Answer 9

The flexor compartment.