Posterior compartment of leg

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Posterior compartment of leg
Leg compartments.jpg
Diagram of leg compartments
Dissection video of posterior compartment of leg (6 min 39 sec)
Details
Arteryposterior tibial artery
Nervetibial nerve
Identifiers
Latincompartimentum cruris posterius
TA98A04.7.01.006
TA22654
FMA45167
Anatomical terminology

The posterior compartment of the leg is one of the fascial compartments of the leg and is divided further into deep and superficial compartments.

Structure[]

Muscles[]

Superficial posterior compartment[]

Image Muscle Origin Insertion Innervation Main Action !
Posterior compartment of leg - gastrocnemius.png Gastrocnemius Lateral head: lateral aspect of lateral condyle of femur
Medial head: popliteal surface of femur; superior to medial condyle		 Posterior surface of calcaneus via calcaneal tendon Tibial nerve
(S1, S2)		 Plantarflexes ankle when knee is extended; raises heel during walking; flexes leg at knee joint
Posterior compartment of leg - plantaris.png Plantaris Inferior end of lateral supracondylar line of femur; oblique popliteal ligament Weakly assists gastrocnemius in plantarflexing ankle
Posterior compartment of leg - soleus.png Soleus Posterior aspect of head and superior quarter of posterior surface of fibula; soleal line and middle third of medial border of tibia; and tendinous arch extending between the bony attachments Plantarflexes ankle independent of position of knee; steadies leg on foot

[1]

Deep posterior compartment[]

Image Muscle Origin Insertion Innervation Main Action
Posterior compartment of leg - flexor hallucis longus.png Flexor hallucis longus muscle Inferior two-thirds of posterior surface of fibula; inferior part of interosseous membrane Base of distal phalanx of big toe (hallux)
Tibial nerve
(S1, S2)
 Flexes big toe at all joints; weakly plantarflexes ankle; supports medial longitudinal arch of foot
Posterior compartment of leg - tibialis posterior.png Tibialis posterior muscle Interosseous membrane; posterior surface of tibia inferior to soleal line; posterior surface of fibula Tuberosity of navicular, cuneiform, cuboid, and sustentaculum tali of calcaneus; bases of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th metatarsals
Tibial nerve
(L4, L5)
 Plantarflexes ankle; inverts foot
Posterior compartment of leg - flexor digitorum longus.png Flexor digitorum longus muscle Medial part of posterior surface of tibia; by a broad tendon to fibula Bases of distal phalanges of lateral four digits
Tibial nerve
(S1, S2)
 Flexes lateral four digits; plantarflexes ankle; supports longitudinal arches of foot
Posterior compartment of leg - popliteus muscle.png Popliteus muscle Lateral surface of lateral condyle of femur and lateral meniscus Animation. Posterior surface of tibia, superior to soleal line
Tibial nerve
(L4, L5, S1)
 Weakly flexes knee and unlocks it by rotating femur 5 deg on fixed tibia; medially rotates tibia of unplanted limb

[2] [3]

Blood supply[]

Posterior tibial artery

Innervation[]

The posterior compartment of the leg is supplied by the tibial nerve.

Function[]

  • It contains the plantar flexors:[4]

Additional images[]

  • Superficial posterior compartment. Animation.

  • Deep posterior compartment. Animation.

References[]

  1. ^ Moore, Dally and Agur (2014). Moore Clinically-Oriented Anatomy, Table 5.13.I, p 597.
  2. ^ Moore, Dally, and Agur (2014). Moore Clinically-Oriented Anatomy, Table 5.13.II, p 598.
  3. ^ https://www.msu.edu/user/vosskurt/Miscellaneous%20pages/musloc.htm[dead link]
  4. ^ postleg at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University)

External links[]

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