junction between thigh and leg, a diamond shaped space in back of the knee

what is the popliteal fossa

a. semitendinosus
b. semimembranosus
c. medial head of gastrocnemius
d. lateral head of gastrocnemius
e. biceps femoris

popliteal artery, knee flexed, palpate posteriorly for pulse

where is the popliteal pulse felt from

semimebranosus and semitendonosus

what is the upper medial border of the popliteal fossa

biceps femoris

what is the upper lateral border of the popliteal fossa

medial and lateral heads of the gastrocnemius

what are the lower medial and lateral borders of the popliteal fossa

covered with popliteal fascia, continuous with fascia latae, which contines down to the fascia of the leg

what is the popliteal fossa covered with? what is that continuous with

yes

does the fossa have a lot of fat

sometimes the end of the sciatic nerve
small saphenous vein
tibial nerve
common fibular nerve
popliteal vein
popliteal artery

what are the contents of the popliteal fossa

popliteal vein

what does the small saphenous vein drain into

superficial posterior part of the leg

what part of the leg does the small saphenous vein drain

medial part of fossa

where is the tibial nerve in the popliteal fossa

sciatic nerve

what is the tibial nerve a branch of

sciatic nerve

what is the fibular nerve a branch of

the lateral side of the fossa

where does the common fibular nerve leave the popliteal fossa

deep in the fossa, more superficial than the artery

where is the popliteal vein in the popliteal fossa

deep to popliteal vein

where is the popliteal artery in the popliteal artery

continuation of the femoral artery, gives off some arteries that supply part of the leg like the tibial arteries

where does the popliteal artery branch from and what does it give off

interosseus membrane

what is another name for the interosseus ligament

a. posterior intermuscular septum
b. anterior intermuscular septum
c. deep (crural) fascia
d. interosseus membrane

tibia medial, fibula lateral

which bone of the leg is more medial and which is more lateral

paired long bones with interosseus membranse in both (thick CT between two bones) and each bone has an interosseus border

what is the structure of the leg like

tibia
fibula
tarsal bones and other bones of the foot discussed later

what are teh bones of the leg

weight bearing bone, articulates with the femur

what is the role of the tibia? what does it articulate with

bone for ankle support, also serves as a muscle attachment place and has no femur connection

what is the role of the fibula

they are the lateral and medial prominences on their respective sides of the ankle, formed by the fibula and tibia respectively

what are the lateral and medial malleoli

CT joining tibia and fibula

what is the interosseus membrane

allows pivot among the two bones

what is the functional moving role of the interosseus membrane

divides anterior and posterior compartments

what does the interosseus membrane do structurally

deep fascia of the leg, goes tibia to tibia

what is the crural fascia

continuous superiorly with the popliteal fascia and fascia latae

what is the crural fascia continuous with

divides anterior and lateral compartments

what is the role of the anterior intermuscular septum

divides lateral from posteiror compartments

what is the role of the posterior intermuscular septum

divides anterior and posterior compartments

what is the role of the interosseus membrane structurally

muscle actions
innervation
blood supply

what do muscles in the same compartment typically share

dorsiflexion of ankle/foot (pulls toes up)

what is the shared action of muscles in the anterior compartment

lateral

where is the anterior compartment relative to the tibia

dorsiflexion and ankle inversion (rolls ankle inwards)

what is the action of the tibialis anterior

tarsal bones

where does the tibialis anterior attach?

dorsiflexion and extension of the toe

what is the action of the extensor hallucis longus

big toe

what is the extensor hallucis longus attached to distally

deep to other anterior muscles, tendon visible

where is extensor hallucis longus

dorsiflexion and helps extend toes 2-5

what is the action of the extensor digitorum longus

toes 2-5

what does the extensor digitorum longus connect with

a. tibialis anterior
b. extensor digitorum longus
c. fibularis tertius
d. extensor hallucis longus

lateral to tibialis anterior

where is the extensor digitorum longus

small muscle that wraps around lateral side

where does the fibularis tertius run

weak dorsiflexor and helps evert the ankle

what is the action of the fibularis tertius

dorsalis pedis artery

what does the anterior tibial artery become within the anterior compartment

L4-S1

what anterior rami make up the deep fibular nerve

a. anterior tibial artery
b. deep fibular nerve
c. dorsalis pedis artery

a. extensor digitorum longus
b. extensor hallucis longus
c. tibialis anterior

(Anterior Compartment Muscles)
tibialis anterior
extensor hallucis longus
extensor digitorum longus
fibularis tertius

what does the deep fibular nerve supply

anterior

what compartment is the tibialis anterior in

anterior

what compartment is the extensor hallucis longus in

anterior

what compartment is the extensor digitorum longus in

anterior

what compartment is the fibularis tertius in

everts and plantarflexes

what is the shared action of the lateral compartment

behind lateral malleolus of the fibula

where does the lateral compartment insert

fibularis longus is superficial to fibularis brevis

where are the fibularis longus and fibularis brevis relative to one another

a. fibularis longus
b. fibularis brevis

evert the foot (contract to prevent ankle inversion) and plantarflexion

what is the function of fibularis longus and fibularis brevis

posterior compartment

where does the fibular artery come from

perforating branches of the fibular artery

what does the fibular artery give off

anterior rami of L5-S2

where does the superficial fibular nerve get its innervation from

fibularis longus and fibularis brevis

what muscles does the superficial fibular nerve innervate

2 layers

what is special about the posterior compartment of the leg compared to the rest

plantarflexes

what is the shared action of the posterior compartment

L4-S3

where does the tibial nerve get innervation from

posterior tibial artery supplies this compartment

fibular artery is found in this compartment but does not supply it

what arteries are in the posterior compartment

tibial vein

what vein is in the posterior compartment

gastrocnemius
soleus
plantaris

what muscles are part of the superficial layer of the posterior compartment

a. lateral head of gastrocnemius
b. soleus

flexes knee and plantarflexes

what is the role of the gastrocnemius

has medial and lateral heads, crosses knee joint and attaches to the femur

what is interesting about the gastrocnemius

gastrocnemius, important in running/sprinting

what is the power plantarflexor in the posterior compartment

deep to gastrocnemius

where is the soleus

large flat muscle

what does the soleus look like

achilles tendon

where does the soleus use for attachment (gastrocnemius uses it also)

endurance plantarflexor as opposed to the power of the gastrocnemius

what is the function of the soleus

crosses the knee

what does the plantaris do that is interesting structurally

between gastrocnemius and soleus

where is the tendon for the plantaris go?

weak plantarflexor, may be a proprioceptor

what is the role of plantaris

plantaris

which muscle has a long tendon that is called the medical student nerve

achilles tendon

what is another name for the calcaneal tendon

calcaneal tendon/achilles tendon

plantarflex, minus one

what do the muscles in the deep posterior layer do

a. popliteus
b. tibialis posterior
c. flexor digitorum longus
d. flexor hallucis longus

popliteus

which one of the deep posterior compartment muscles does not plantarflex

helps unlock keen joint, flexes knee

what does the popliteus do

deep

where is the popliteus located

a. tibial nerve
b. posterior tibial artery
c. fibular artery

tibial nerve L4-S1

what innervates the popliteus

plantarflexion of great toe

what is the action of the flexor hallucis longus

medial

where is the flexor hallucis longus located relative to the rest of the muscles in the deep posterior compartment

plantarflexes toes 2-5

what is the actino of the flexor digitorum longus

lateral

where is the flexor digitorum longus relative to the deep posterior compartment

tibial nerve S2, S3

what is the innervation of the flexor hallucis longus

tibial nerve S2, S3

what is the innervation of the flexor digitorum longus

a. tibialis posterior
b. flexor digitorum longus
c. tibial artery
d. tibial nerve
e. flexor hallucis longus

plantarflexes and inverts

what is the action of the tibialis posterior

tibialis anterior

what muscle does the tibialis posterior invert with?

tibial nerve L4 and L5

what innervates the tibialis posterior

popliteal splits into anterior and posterior tibial, posterior tibial gives off fibular

what does the artery tree with regard to the popliteal artery, anterior and posterior tibial arteries, and fibular artery look like

a. flexor hallucis longus
b. soleus
c. gastrocnemius
d. plantaris tendon
e. tibial nerve and posterior tibial artery
f. flexor digitorum longus
g. tibialis posterior

raised pressure due to infection or inflammation causes there to be a lack of blood delivered to tissues, which can lead to necrosis because of the compartmentalization

what is compartment syndrome

acutely from trauma or infection

chronically from inflammation from various sources

how could compartment syndrome develop

fasciotomy, which relieves the pressure

what is often done to help in a compartment syndrome

minor case of compartment syndrome, typically in the anterior compartment or deep posterior compartment

what is shin splints

acute from inflammation from exercise

chronic from overuse

how can shin splints develop

due to superficiality of the nerve

why is the common fibular nerve injury common

foot drop and foot flop

what are the most common symptoms from common fibular nerve injury

dorsiflexion

what do you typically lose functionally with common fibular nerve injury

because lateral and posterior compartment both help with plantarflexion

why is loss of anterior compartment function worse than losing plantarflexion

thickenings of fascia in each compartment

what is the retinaculum

a. extensor retinaculum
b. fibular retinaculum

a. flexor retinaculum

covers most of extensors from anterior compartment

superior and inferior that cross all the way over, designed to help hold extensor tendons close to bones, keep them from bowing out

what does the extensor retinaculum do

high ankle sprain

what are extensor retinaculum injuries usually from

lateral compartment tendons (fibularis longus and fibularis brevis)

what does the fibular retinaculum cover

many of posterior compartment muscles (tibialis posterior, flexor digitorum longus, flexor hallucis)

what does the flexor retinaculum cover

sural nerve

what innervates the cutaneous lower posterolateral leg

lateral sural cutaneous nerve

what innervates the cutaneous upper lateral leg

superficial fibular nerve

what innervates the cutaneous lower anterolateral leg and dorsum of the foot

saphenous nerve

what innervates the medial leg

a. lateral sural cutaneous nerves
b. superficial fibular nerves
c. saphenous nerve

a. saphenous nerve
b. sural nerve
c. lateral sural cutaneous nerve

a. lateral sural cutaneous
b. saphehous
c. superificial fibular nerve

a. saphenous
b. sural nerve
c. lateral sural cutaneous