ARTERIES AND NERVES OF THE THIGH/LEG
In general for the THIGH:
Anterior group (Quadriceps femoris—4 muscles) = Femoral Nerve
Medial group (Adductors—5?) = Obturator Nerve
Posterior group (Hamstrings—3 muscles) = Tibial Nerve
SCIATIC NERVE: (pg. 17 of packet or Netter 502, 516, 518, 520)
 Starts directly inferior to the piriformis muscle in the butt
 Travels down the back of the thigh and then splits into the Tibial Nerve and
Common Fibular (Peroneal) Nerve (no longer the Sciatic! Also, don’t
accidentally call the Tibial nerve the Tibular nerve—they kind of sound alike!)
LEG:
o The Common Fibular Nerve then wraps around to the front of the leg and
splits into the Superficial Fibular (Peroneal) Nerve and Deep Fibular
(Peroneal) Nerve:
 Superficial Fibular (Peroneal) Nerve innervates the lateral
compartment of the leg (peroneus longus and brevis) and is
cutaneous to the dorsum of the foot
 Deep Fibular (Peroneal) Nerve innervates all the muscles of the
anterior (extensor) compartment of the leg, the muscles of the
dorsum of the foot (except dorsal interossei), and a small
cutaneous area between the first two toes
Summary:
Sciatic NerveTibial Nerve
Common Fibular (Peroneal Nerve)Superficial Fibular (Peroneal) Nerve
Deep Fibular (Peroneal) Nerve
There are also the Superior Gluteal and Inferior Gluteal Nerves (superior and inferior
to piriformis; Netter 503), Obturator Nerve (through the obturator foramen), and
Femoral Nerve (lateral to the Femoral vein and artery under the inguinal ligament—
think of “NAVEL from lateral to medial—nerve, artery, vein, lymphatics—or “Venous
toward the Penis;” Netter 500).
ARTERIES:
AortaExternal Iliac ArteryFemoral Artery (once the EIA goes under the inguinal
ligament, crossing over the pubis bone to the thigh)
Femoral Artery
 Splits into the Profunda Femoris Artery (Deep Femoral), which wraps around
to the back of the thigh (remember the Deep Brachial Artery? Similar concept)
and splits into the Lateral Femoral Circumflex Artery and the Medial Femoral
Circumflex Artery:
 Becomes the Popliteal Artery as it goes through the adductor hiatus (behind
knee), which splits into the Anterior Tibial Artery and the Posterior Tibial
Artery
o Anterior Tibial Artery supplies the anterior compartment of the leg and
becomes the Dorsalis Pedis Artery, which branches at the Arcuate
Artery
o Posterior Tibial Artery supplies the posterior compartment of the leg and
branches at the Fibular (Peroneal) Artery
Additionally, branching off of the External Iliac Artery is the Internal Iliac Artery,
which branches into the Superior Gluteal and Inferior Gluteal Arteries (remember
piriformis landmark), the Obturator Artery (with the vein through obturator foramen),
and Femoral Artery (with the vein). So these are all similar to the nerves! There is also
the Great Saphenous Vein (pretty distinct in the cadaver, going along the whole medial
side of leg).