CoursesAnatomyLower limbNerves and vesselsNeurovasculature of the leg and knee

CoursesAnatomyLower limbNerves and vesselsNeurovasculature of the leg and knee

Neurovasculature of the leg and knee

Learning objectives

After completing this study unit you will be able to:

Name the arteries of the knee and leg and their supply areas.
List the major veins of this region and their drainage areas.
Describe both motor and sensory nerve supply of this region.

Watch video

The neurovasculature of the knee and leg can be organized around three main structures:

The popliteal artery is the major contributor to arterial supply of this region giving off several branches to the leg (e.g. anterior tibial artery, posterior tibial artery, sural arteries) and genicular arteries around the region of the knee joint.
The popliteal vein drains this region as far as up as the adductor canal. It receives the anterior and posterior tibial veins and other vessels such as the small saphenous vein that carries blood from the lateral surface of the leg. The great saphenous vein drains the medial surface of the leg.
The tibial and common fibular nerves (terminal branches of the sciatic nerve) and their branches provide most of the motor and sensory supply to the leg. (Additional cutaneous innervation is also provided by the saphenous nerve, a terminal branch of the femoral nerve).

Feeling excited to step into the ‘underground’ supply of the leg and knee? Then take a look at the following video on the neurovasculature of the knee and leg.

Take a quiz

Take the following quiz to test and reinforce your knowledge about this topic.

Take a quiz on other neurovascular structures of the lower limb, or customize your quiz entirely, choosing the terms that you want to be tested on.

Browse atlas

Analyze each neurovascular structure of the knee and leg in the atlas gallery below.

Summary

Key points about neurovasculature of the knee and leg
Arteries of the knee and leg	Genicular anastomosis: Five genicular branches of popliteal artery (superior and inferior medial, superior and inferior lateral, middle genicular arteries) Anterior and posterior tibial recurrent arteries Descending branches of femoral and lateral circumflex arteries Circumflex fibular branch of posterior tibial artery Leg: Popliteal artery Anterior tibial artery Posterior tibial artery Fibular artery
Veins of the knee and leg	Popliteal vein Anterior tibial veins Posterior tibial veins Fibular veins Small saphenous vein Great saphenous vein
Nerves of the knee and leg	Femoral nerve: Saphenous nerve Sciatic nerve: Tibial nerve Common fibular nerve (superficial and deep fibular nerves, lateral sural cutaneous nerve) Sural nerve (medial sural cutaneous nerve)
Muscular innervation	Superficial fibular nerve: Fibularis longus, fibularis brevis muscle Deep fibular nerve: Tibialis anterior, extensor digitorum longus, fibularis tertius, extensor hallucis longus Tibial nerve: Gastrocnemius, popliteus, soleus, plantaris, tibialis posterior, flexor digitorum longus, flexor hallucis longus
Cutaneous innervation	Saphenous nerve: Anteromedial aspect of knee Lateral sural cutaneous nerve: Proximal posterolateral aspect of leg Superficial fibular nerve: Distal lateral aspect of leg Sural nerve: Posterior aspect of leg

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