THE LOWER LIMB S6\ 



fourth dorsal and third plantar — though these two may be in- 

 cluded ; (2) the outer three lumbricales ; (3) the adductor trans- 

 versus hallucis ; and (4) the adductor obliquus hallucis. 



The articular branches supply the tarsal and tarso-metatarsal 

 articulations. They sometimes also supply the metatarso-phalangeal 

 articulations. 



The perforating branches pass upwards through the proximal 

 parts of the interosseous spaces, and join the interosseous branches 

 of the dorsalis pedis nerve. 



Snmmary of External Plantar Nerve. — Muscular branches to the flexor 

 or musculus accessorius, abductor minimi digiti, flexor brevis minimi digiti, 

 all seven interossei, outer three lumbricales, adductor transversus hallucis. 

 and adductor obliquus hallucis. Cutaneous branches to the integument of 

 the outer half of the sole and the outer one and a half toes. Articular branches 

 to the tarsal, tarso-metatarsal, and, in some cases, metatarso-phalangeal 

 articulations. Perforating branches to join the interosseous nerves on the- 

 dorsum of the foot. 



The external plantar nerve corresponds with the ulnar nerve in the hand. 



Plantar Arteries. — ^The arteries of the sole of the foot are three in 

 number, namely, the internal plantar, the external plantar, and 

 the plantar branch of the arteria dorsalis pedis. The internal and 

 external plantar arteries are the terminal branches into which the 

 posterior tibial divides on a level with the lower border of the 

 internal annular ligament. The internal plantar is much smaller 

 than the external, and each vessel is accompanied by the corre- 

 sponding plantar nerve. 



Internal Plantar Artery. — This vessel passes forwards along 

 the inner side of the sole with the internal plantar nerve, which lies 

 on its outer side, and it usually terminates on the inner aspect of 

 the metatarso-phalangeal joint of the great toe by anastomosing 

 with the digital branch of the arteria magna or princeps hallucis 

 to the inner side of that toe. It is at first under cover of the 

 abductor hallucis, and subsequently lies between that muscle and 

 the flexor brevis digitorum. It is accompanied by two venae 

 comites. 



Branches. — ^These are as follows : 



Muscular to the muscles in its immediate vicinity. 



Cutaneous to the integument of the inner half of the sole. 



Articular to the articulations along the inner side of the 

 foot. 



The internal tarsal branches pass inwards beneath the abductor 

 hallucis to the inner border of the foot, where they anastomose 

 with the internal tarsal branches of the arteria dorsahs pedis. 



The superficial digital arteries are three in number, and are usually 

 very small. They accompany the three compound digital branches 

 of the internal plantar nerve to the clefts where these nerves divide 

 into their collateral branches, and there they terminate by joining 

 the inner two digital arteries from the plantar arch and the arteria 

 magna or princeps hallucis. 



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