208 THE CIRCULATORY APPARATUS 



THE POPLITEAL ARTERY. The popliteal artery runs 

 from the adductor opening to the lower border of the 

 popliteus, passing through the popliteal space at the 

 back of the knee-joint, where it divides into the ante- 

 rior and posterior tibial. 



The anterior tibial artery runs from the lower border 

 of the popliteus, between the heads of the tibialis 

 posticus and above the interosseous membrane, to 

 the front of the leg, then descends as far as the ankle, 

 ending in the dorsalis pedis. 



The dorsalis pedis is the continuation of the anterior 

 tibial, and runs from the bend of the ankle to the first 

 interosseous space, where it divides into the dorsalis 

 hallucis and plantar digital. 



The plantar digital branch of the dorsalis pedis 

 artery passes between the heads of the first dorsal 

 interosseous, joins with the external plantar to form 

 the plantar arch, and after supplying the inner side 

 of the great toe, divides into two branches for the 

 adjacent sides of the great and second toes. 



The posterior tibial artery runs from the lower border 

 of the popliteus to divide, between the inner malleolus 

 and heel, into the external and internal plantar arteries. 



The plantar arteries are the terminal branches of 

 the posterior tibial. The internal is at first under 

 cover of the abductor pollicis, and then between it 

 and the flexor brevis digitorum, anastomosing at the 

 inner border of the great toe with its digital artery. 



The external, the larger, passes to the base of the 

 fifth metatarsal, then to the space between the first 

 and second metatarsals, and joins the plantar digital, 

 from the dorsalis pedis, to form the plantar arch. 



The plantar arch supplies the muscles, fascia, and 

 skin of the sole of the foot, and gives off the posterior 

 perforating. These pierce the three outer spaces 

 between the heads of the dorsal interossei and join 

 the dorsal interosseous arteries. 



The digital, four in number, supply the three outer 



