296 INFERIOR EXTREMITY 



Nervus Plantaris Medialis (O.T. Internal Plantar Nerve). 

 The medial plantar nerve is the larger of the two terminal 

 branches of the tibial nerve. It takes origin in the hollow 

 of the calcaneus under cover of the ligamentum laciniatum. 

 It accompanies the medial plantar artery, and presents the 

 same relations. After it emerges from under cover of the 

 abductor hallucis, it gives off the proper digital branch to the 

 medial side of the hallux, and then ends, in the interval 

 between the abductor hallucis and the flexor digitorum brevis, 

 by dividing into three common digital branches. 



The branches of the medial plantar nerve are : 



1. Cutaneous twigs to the skin of the sole. 



2. Muscular branches. 



3. Proper digital branch to medial side of great toe. 



4. Three common digital branches. 



The cutaneous twigs to the integument of the sole spring 

 from the trunk of the nerve, and pierce the aponeurosis in 

 the line of the medial intermuscular septum. 



The proper digital nerve to the great toe supplies the medial 

 side of that toe. 



The three common digital branches pass to the proximal 

 ends of the three medial interdigital clefts, where each 

 divides into two proper digital branches. The proper digital 

 branches of the most medial common digital nerve supply the 

 adjacent sides of the great toe and the second toe, those of 

 the second common digital nerve supply the adjacent sides of 

 the second and third toes, and the proper digital branches of 

 the third common digital supply the adjacent sides of the 

 third and fourth toes. From the third common digital branch 

 of the medial plantar nerve a communication is given to the 

 superficial part of the lateral plantar nerve. The digital 

 distribution of the medial plantar nerve in the foot closely 

 resembles the median nerve in the hand. 



The proper digital nerves should be traced along the toes. 

 They are arranged in a manner very similar to that of the 

 corresponding nerves of the fingers. 



The muscular branches go to four muscles of the sole, viz. 

 the abductor hallucis, the flexor digitorum brevis, the flexor 

 hallucis brevis, and the most medial or first lumbrical muscle. 

 The branches which supply the abductor hallucis and the 

 flexor digitorum brevis arise from the trunk of the medial 

 plantar nerve a short distance from its origin. The other 



