Deep fibular nerve

Deep fibular (peroneal) nerve
Deep fibular (peroneal) nerve
	Nerves of the right lower extremity, posterior view.
Details
From	Common peroneal nerve
Innervates	Anterior compartment of leg
Identifiers
Latin	nervus fibularis profundus, ; nervus peroneus profundus
TA98	A14.2.07.055
TA2	6579
FMA	44771
	Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy [ edit on Wikidata]

Last updated December 19, 2024

The deep fibular nerve (also known as deep peroneal nerve) begins at the bifurcation of the common fibular nerve between the fibula and upper part of the fibularis longus, passes infero-medially, deep to the extensor digitorum longus, to the anterior surface of the interosseous membrane, and comes into relation with the anterior tibial artery above the middle of the leg; it then descends with the artery to the front of the ankle-joint, where it divides into a lateral and a medial terminal branch .

Structure

Lateral side of the leg

The deep fibular nerve is the nerve of the anterior compartment of the leg and the dorsum of the foot. It is one of the terminal branches of the common fibular nerve. It corresponds to the posterior interosseus nerve of the forearm. It begins at the lateral side of the fibula bone, and then enters the anterior compartment by piercing the anterior intermuscular septum. It then pierces the extensor digitorum longus and lies next to the anterior tibial artery, following the course of the artery until the ankle-joint where the nerve divides into medial and lateral terminal branches. In the leg, the deep fibular nerve divides into several branches:^[1]

Muscular branches: Supplies four muscles in the leg: tibialis anterior, extensor hallucis longus, extensor digitorum longus, and fibularis tertius ^[1]

Foot

Close to the ankle joint, the deep fibular nerve terminates by dividing into medial and lateral terminal branches.^[1]

Medial terminal branch: This nerve accompanies the dorsalis pedis artery along the dorsum of the foot, and, at the first interosseous space, divides into two dorsal digital nerves which supply the adjacent sides of the great and second toes,^[1] communicating with the medial dorsal cutaneous branch of the superficial fibular nerve. Before it divides it gives off to the first space an interosseous branch which supplies the metatarsophalangeal joint of the great toe and sends a filament to the first Interosseous dorsalis muscle.^[2]
Lateral terminal branch - This nerve passes across the tarsus, beneath the extensor digitorum brevis, supplying latter. This nerve ends in a pseudoganglion deep to the extensor digitorum brevis.^[1] From the pseudoganglion, three minute branches are given off to supply the tarsal joints and the metatarsophalangeal joints of the second, third, and fourth toes.^[2]

Function

In the leg, the deep fibular nerve supplies muscular branches to the anterior compartment of extensor muscles in the leg which include the tibialis anterior, extensor digitorum longus, fibularis tertius, and extensor hallucis longus (propius), and an articular branch to the ankle-joint. After its bifurcation past the ankle joint, the lateral branch of the deep fibular nerve innervates the extensor digitorum brevis and the extensor hallucis brevis, while the medial branch goes on to provide cutaneous innervation to the webbing between the first and second toes.

Clinical significance

Damage to the deep fibular nerve, as is possible with traumatic injury to the lateral knee, results in foot drop. The deep fibular nerve is also subject to injury resulting from lower motor neuron disease, diabetes, ischemia, and infectious or inflammatory conditions. Injury to the common fibular nerve is the most common isolated mononeuropathy of the lower extremity and produces sensory problems on the lateral lower leg in addition to foot drop.^[3]

Additional images

Cross-section through middle of leg.
Cutaneous nerves of the right lower extremity, anterior and posterior views.
Cutaneous nerves of the right lower extremity, anterior and posterior views.
Deep nerves of the front of the leg.
Nerves of the dorsum of the foot.
Deep fibular nerve

Related Research Articles

The foot is an anatomical structure found in many vertebrates. It is the terminal portion of a limb which bears weight and allows locomotion. In many animals with feet, the foot is a separate organ at the terminal part of the leg made up of one or more segments or bones, generally including claws and/or nails.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Human leg</span> Lower extremity or limb of the human body (foot, lower leg, thigh and hip)

The leg is the entire lower limb of the human body, including the foot, thigh or sometimes even the hip or buttock region. The major bones of the leg are the femur, tibia, and adjacent fibula. There are 60 bones in each leg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radial nerve</span> Nerve in the human body that supplies the posterior portion of the upper limb

The radial nerve is a nerve in the human body that supplies the posterior portion of the upper limb. It innervates the medial and lateral heads of the triceps brachii muscle of the arm, as well as all 12 muscles in the posterior osteofascial compartment of the forearm and the associated joints and overlying skin.

In human anatomy, the fibularis longus is a superficial muscle in the lateral compartment of the leg. It acts to tilt the sole of the foot away from the midline of the body (eversion) and to extend the foot downward away from the body at the ankle.

The fibula or calf bone is a leg bone on the lateral side of the tibia, to which it is connected above and below. It is the smaller of the two bones and, in proportion to its length, the most slender of all the long bones. Its upper extremity is small, placed toward the back of the head of the tibia, below the knee joint and excluded from the formation of this joint. Its lower extremity inclines a little forward, so as to be on a plane anterior to that of the upper end; it projects below the tibia and forms the lateral part of the ankle joint.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Extensor hallucis longus muscle</span> Thin muscle, situated between the tibialis anterior and the extensor digitorum longus

The extensor hallucis longus muscle is a thin skeletal muscle, situated between the tibialis anterior and the extensor digitorum longus. It extends the big toe and dorsiflects the foot. It also assists with foot eversion and inversion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tibial nerve</span> Branch of the sciatic nerve

The tibial nerve is a branch of the sciatic nerve. The tibial nerve passes through the popliteal fossa to pass below the arch of soleus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dorsal interossei of the foot</span> Four muscles situated between the metatarsal bones

In human anatomy, the dorsal interossei of the foot are four muscles situated between the metatarsal bones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Extensor digitorum longus muscle</span> Pennate muscle, situated at the lateral part of the front of the leg

The extensor digitorum longus is a pennate muscle, situated at the lateral part of the front of the leg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Extensor digitorum brevis muscle</span> Muscle on the upper surface of the foot that helps extend digits 2 through 4

The extensor digitorum brevis muscle is a muscle on the upper surface of the foot that helps extend digits 2 through 4.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fibularis brevis</span> Shorter and smaller of the fibularis (peroneus) muscles

In human anatomy, the fibularis brevis is a muscle that lies underneath the fibularis longus within the lateral compartment of the leg. It acts to tilt the sole of the foot away from the midline of the body (eversion) and to extend the foot downward away from the body at the ankle.

In human anatomy, the fibularis tertius is a muscle in the anterior compartment of the leg. It acts to tilt the sole of the foot away from the midline of the body (eversion) and to pull the foot upward toward the body (dorsiflexion).

The common fibular nerve is a nerve in the lower leg that provides sensation over the posterolateral part of the leg and the knee joint. It divides at the knee into two terminal branches: the superficial fibular nerve and deep fibular nerve, which innervate the muscles of the lateral and anterior compartments of the leg respectively. When the common fibular nerve is damaged or compressed, foot drop can ensue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Extensor hallucis brevis muscle</span> Muscle on the top of the foot that helps to extend the big toe

The extensor hallucis brevis is a muscle on the top of the foot that helps to extend the big toe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superficial fibular nerve</span> Nerve in the human leg and foot

The superficial fibular nerve is a mixed nerve that provides motor innervation to the fibularis longus and fibularis brevis muscles, and sensory innervation to skin over the antero-lateral aspect of the leg along with the greater part of the dorsum of the foot.

In humans, the sole of the foot is anatomically referred to as the plantar aspect.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medial plantar nerve</span> Larger of the two terminal divisions of the tibial nerve

The medial plantar nerve is the larger of the two terminal divisions of the tibial nerve, which accompanies the medial plantar artery.

The anterior compartment of the leg is a fascial compartment of the lower leg. It contains muscles that produce dorsiflexion and participate in inversion and eversion of the foot, as well as vascular and nervous elements, including the anterior tibial artery and veins and the deep fibular nerve.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to human anatomy:

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 965 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

1 2 3 4 5 Krishna, Garg (2010). "Front, lateral, and medial sides of leg and dorsum of foot (Chapter 8)". BD Chaurasia's Human Anatomy (Regional and Applied Dissection and Clinical) Volume 2 - Lower limb, abdomen, and pelvis (Fifth ed.). India: CBS Publishers and Distributors Pvt Ltd. p. 104,105,106. ISBN 978-81-239-1864-8.
1 2 Gray, Henry; Lewis, Warron Harmon (1918). Anatomy of the human body. Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger. p. 965. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
↑ "Peroneal Mononeuropathy: Background, Pathophysiology, Epidemiology". 13 October 2021.

External links

Anatomy photo:16:st-0601 at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center - "The Foot: Nerves"

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[BD_Chaurasia-1] 1 2 3 4 5 Krishna, Garg (2010). "Front, lateral, and medial sides of leg and dorsum of foot (Chapter 8)". BD Chaurasia's Human Anatomy (Regional and Applied Dissection and Clinical) Volume 2 - Lower limb, abdomen, and pelvis (Fifth ed.). India: CBS Publishers and Distributors Pvt Ltd. p. 104,105,106. ISBN 978-81-239-1864-8.

[Gray_1918-2] 1 2 Gray, Henry; Lewis, Warron Harmon (1918). Anatomy of the human body. Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger. p. 965. Retrieved 22 February 2018.

[3] "Peroneal Mononeuropathy: Background, Pathophysiology, Epidemiology". 13 October 2021.

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