372 NEUROLOGY, OR ANATOMY OF NERVOUS SYSTEM 



Cutaneous. The tibial or popliteal communicating. It 

 runs between the two heads of the gastrocnemius, pierces the 

 fascia about halfway down the calf, and receives the peroneal 

 communicating nerve from the external popliteal. It then 

 runs in company with the short saphenous vein, along the 

 outer border of the tendo Achillis and below the outer malleolus, 

 to end in the skin of the outer side of the foot and little toe, 

 communicating with the musculocutaneous nerve. 



The posterior tibial nerve is the continuation of the internal 

 popliteal from the lower margin of the popliteus. It runs 

 down between the superficial and deep layers of muscles and 

 is successively internal, behind, and external to the artery, 

 and divides between the inner ankle and heel into the two 

 plantar nerves. 



Branches. Articular, to the ankle. 



Muscular. One each to the tibialis posticus, flexor longus 

 digitorum, flexor longus pollicis, and the soleus. 



A cutaneous branch pierces the internal annular ligament 

 to supply the skin of the heel and back part of the sole. 



The internal plantar nerve runs beneath the abductor pollicis, 

 then between it and the flexor brevis pollicis, and divides 

 into its digital branches. It corresponds to the median in the 

 hand. 



Branches. Muscular, to the abductor pollicis and flexor 

 brevis digitorum. 



Cutaneous, to the skin of the sole. 



Digital branches as follows: The first, to the inner side of 

 the great toe, supplies the flexor brevis pollicis; the second, 

 to the great and second toes, supplies the first lumbricalis; 

 the third, to the second and third toes, supplies the second 

 lumbricalis; and the fourth, to the third and the inner side 

 of the fourth toe, communicating with the external plantar. 

 Each digital nerve supplies cutaneous and articular branches 

 and terminates as in the hand. 



The external plantar runs between the flexor accessorius 

 and the flexor brevis digitorum, dividing between the latter 

 and the abductor minimi digit! into a superficial and a deep 

 branch. Before dividing it supplies the flexor accessorius and 

 abductor minimi digiti. It corresponds to the ulnar in the hand. 



The superficial gives a digital branch to the outer side of 

 the little toe, which supplies its short flexor and sometimes 



