Sural Nerve

Description

Cutaneous innervation of the leg, ankle and dorsum of foot

Branches of the sural nerve

Sensory distribution of the plantar foot including the medial calcaneal nerve, medial plantar nerve, saphenous nerve, sural nerve and lateral plantar nerve

Other Names

• Sural Nerve
• Medial sural cutaneous nerve
• Lateral sural cutaneous nerve

Introduction

• Nerve roots: S1, S2
• The sural nerve is a peripheral nerve that arises in the posterior compartment of the leg
• Purely sensory, innervates the posterolateral aspect of the distal third of the leg

Anatomic Course

• Formed by the fusion of:
  • medial sural cutaneous nerve, a branch of the tibial nerve
  • lateral sural cutaneous nerve, a branch of the common fibular nerve
• Courses alongside a small saphenous vein
• Descends between the heads of the gastrocnemius
• Passes near the lateral margin of the calcaneal tendon
• At the ankle, it passes between the lateral malleolus and calcaneus to enter the foot
• In the foot, terminates as lateral dorsal cutaneous nerve

Branches

• Lateral calcaneal branch of sural nerve
  • Innervates the skin over the lateral portion of the heel
• Lateral dorsal cutaneous nerve of foot
  • Supplies the lateral side of the dorsum of the foot
  • Ends as the dorsal digital nerve, which supplies sensory of the lateral aspect of 5th toe

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Clinical Significance

• Sural Nerve Entrapment

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See Also

• Neuropathies Main
• Leg Anatomy Main
• Physical Exam Leg

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