Charles R. Bardeen 361 
b. Order of Origin from the Tibial Nerve. 
The most proximal branches given off are those to the gastrocnemius, 
the proximal branch to the soleus and the nerve to the plantaris muscle. 
Out of 19 instances the nerve to the plantaris was the most proximal 
branch in 9, the nerves to the gastrocnemius in 9, and in one instance 
the nerve to the plantaris, in conjunction with the branch to the lateral 
head of the gastrocnemius and the proximal nerve to the soleus. Usually 
the nerve to the medial head of the gastrocnemius arises slightly proximal 
to that to the lateral head. The latter arises near or in conjunction with 
the proximal nerve to the soleus muscle. 
Next distal to the nerves to the plantaris and gastrocnemius muscles 
and the proximal nerve to the soleus arise the nerves to the popliteus and 
posterior tibial muscles. These nerves often arise from a common branch. 
When they arise separately the nerve to the poplitus is the more proximal 
in the great majority of instances. 
Next distal usually comes the distal nerve to the soleus, although this 
nerve may arise proximal to the nerve to the tibialis posterior or in con- 
junction with this. Then follow the nerves to the flexor digitorum longus 
and to the flexor hallucis Jongus. The two latter frequently arise from 
a common trunk which may also be combined with the distal nerve to the 
soleus. The nerve to the flexor hallucis is almost always the most distal 
in origin of the nerves under consideration, but occasionally a distal 
branch to the flexor digitornm longus has a more distal origin (in two 
instances out of 34). 
c. Relation to One Another of the Nerves to the Muscles. 
Nerve to plantaris.—In all but one out of 21 instances the nerve to the 
plantaris muscle arose independently from the tibial nerve. In this in- 
stance it arose in conjunction with the nerve to the lateral head of the 
gastrocnemius and the proximal nerve to the soleus muscle. In one 
instance two nerves could be traced to the plantaris. 
Nerve to medial head of gastrocnemius.—In one instance out of 35 two 
separate parallel branches passed into this head. Occasionally near its 
origin from the tibial nerve the nerve to the medial head of the gastroc- 
nemius is bound up for a short distance with that to the lateral head. 
Nerve to the lateral head of the gastrocnemius.—Out of 35 instances 
in 20 this nerve arose independently or in conjunction with that to the 
medial head from the posterior tibial; in 14, in conjunction with the 
proximal nerve to the soleus and in one in conjunction with the proximal 
nerve to the soleus and the nerve to the plantaris. 
