*T82 NERVES OF THE INFERIOR EXTREMITY. 



of the great sciatic. It accompanies the popliteal artery 

 between the heads of the gastrocnemius, to the lower border 

 of the popliteus muscle, where it becomes the posterior 

 tibial nerve. 



BRANCHES OF THE POPLITEAL NERVE, (Fig. 263.) 



External sapJienus or communicans tibice comes off above 

 the knee and descends the back part of the leg, beneath the 

 fascia, to 'about halfway between the knee and foot, where 

 it emerges and becomes cutaneous, unites with a branch 

 from the peroneal nerve, and is then traced in company 

 with the external saphenus vein on the outer border of the 

 tendo-Achillis to the back part of the external malleolus. 

 It is distributed by numerous filaments to the integuments 

 of the heel, sole, and outer margin of the foot and little 

 toe, communicating likewise with the dorsal nerves of the 

 foot. 



Muscular branches are sent off to the gastrocnemius, 

 soleus, plantaris and popliteus muscles. 



Articular branches come off and go to the joint. 



POSTERIOR TIBIAL NERVE, (Fig. 263.) 



The posterior tibial nerve is a continuation of the popliteal, 

 and accompanies the posterior tibial artery to the back part 

 of the inner ankle, where it divides into the internal and 

 external plantar nerves. The posterior tibial sends off in 

 its course a few muscular branches, and a few cutaneous 

 plantar branches. 



The internal plantar, (Fig. 264,) larger than the external, 

 goes along the inner side of the tarsus, giving filaments to 

 the plantar muscles and integuments, and at the base of 

 the great toe it divides into four digital branches, the first 

 running along the tibia!" side of the great toe, and the 

 other three subdividing so as to supply the opposing sides 

 of all the rest except the little toe. 



The external plantar nerve accompanies the external plan- 

 tar artery to the fifth metatarsal bone, where it divides 

 into two digital branches, one of which goes along the 



