The medial plantar nerve (internal plantar nerve) is the larger of the two terminal divisions of the

tibial nerve The tibial nerve is a branch of the sciatic nerve. The tibial nerve passes through the popliteal fossa to pass below the arch of soleus. Structure Popliteal fossa The tibial nerve is the larger terminal branch of the sciatic nerve with root valu ...

(medial and

lateral plantar nerve The lateral plantar nerve (external plantar nerve) is a branch of the tibial nerve, in turn a branch of the sciatic nerve and supplies the skin of the fifth toe and lateral half of the fourth, as well as most of the deep muscles, its distribution ...

), which accompanies the

medial plantar artery The medial plantar artery (internal plantar artery), much smaller than the lateral plantar artery, passes forward along the medial side of the foot. It is at first situated above the abductor hallucis, and then between it and the flexor digitorum ...

. From its origin under the laciniate ligament it passes under cover of the abductor hallucis muscle, and, appearing between this muscle and the

flexor digitorum brevis The flexor digitorum brevis is a muscle which lies in the middle of the sole of the foot, immediately above the central part of the plantar aponeurosis, with which it is firmly united. Its deep surface is separated from the lateral plantar ves ...

, gives off a proper digital plantar nerve and finally divides opposite the bases of the metatarsal bones into three common digital plantar nerves.

Branches

The branches of the medial plantar nerve are: (1) cutaneous, (2) muscular, (3) articular, (4) a proper digital nerve to the medial side of the great toe, and (5) three common digital nerves.

Cutaneous branches

The cutaneous branches pierce the

plantar aponeurosis The plantar fascia is the thick connective tissue (aponeurosis) which supports the arch on the bottom (plantar side) of the foot. It runs from the tuberosity of the calcaneus (heel bone) forward to the heads of the metatarsal bones (the bone bet ...

between the abductor hallucis and the flexor digitorum brevis and are distributed to the skin of the sole of the foot.

Muscular branches

The muscular branches supply muscles on the medial side of the sole, including the abductor hallucis, the flexor digitorum brevis, the flexor hallucis brevis, and the first lumbrical; those for the abductor hallucis and flexor digitorum brevis arise from the trunk of the nerve near its origin and enter the deep surfaces of the muscles; the branch of the flexor hallucis brevis springs from the proper digital nerve to the medial side of the great toe, and that for the first lumbrical is from the first common digital nerve.

Articular branches

The articular branches supply the articulations of the tarsus and

metatarsus The metatarsal bones, or metatarsus, are a group of five long bones in the foot, located between the tarsal bones of the hind- and mid-foot and the phalanges of the toes. Lacking individual names, the metatarsal bones are numbered from the me ...

Proper digital nerve of the great toe

The proper digital nerve of the

great toe Toes are the digits (fingers) of the foot of a tetrapod. Animal species such as cats that walk on their toes are described as being ''digitigrade''. Humans, and other animals that walk on the soles of their feet, are described as being ''plant ...

(nn. digitales plantares proprii; plantar digital branches) supplies the flexor hallucis brevis and the skin on the medial side of the great toe.

Three common digital nerves

The three common digital nerves (nn. digitales plantares communes) pass between the divisions of the plantar aponeurosis, and each splits into two proper digital nerves—those of the first common digital nerve supply the adjacent sides of the great and second toes; those of the second, the adjacent sides of the second and third toes; and those of the third, the adjacent sides of the third and fourth toes. The third common digital nerve receives a communicating branch from the lateral plantar nerve; the first gives a twig to the first lumbricals. Each proper digital nerve gives off cutaneous and articular filaments; and opposite the last phalanx sends upward a dorsal branch, which supplies the structures around the nail, the continuation of the nerve being distributed to the ball of the toe. It will be observed that these digital nerves are similar in their distribution to those of the

median nerve The median nerve is a nerve in humans and other animals in the upper limb. It is one of the five main nerves originating from the brachial plexus. The median nerve originates from the lateral and medial cords of the brachial plexus, and has cont ...

in the hand.

Additional images

File:Gray357.png, Coronal section through right talocrural and talocalcaneal joints. File:Gray834.svg, Diagram of the segmental distribution of the cutaneous nerves of the sole of the foot. File:Gray836.png, Nerves of the dorsum of the foot.

References

{{Authority control Nerves of the lower limb and lower torso