Fascial compartments of leg

On the human body, the limbs can be divided into segments, such as the arm and the forearm of the upper limb, and the thigh and the leg of the lower limb. If these segments are cut transversely, it is apparent that they are divided into multiple sections. These are called fascial compartments, and are formed by tough connective tissue septa. Compartments usually have separate nerve and blood supplies from their neighbours. All the muscles within a compartment will generally be supplied by the same nerve.

Compartments

The (lower) leg is divided into four compartments by the interosseous membrane of the leg, the transverse intermuscular septum and the posterior intermuscular septum:^[1]

Compartment	Muscles	Neurovascular structures
Anterior compartment of leg	Tibialis anterior, Extensor hallucis longus, Extensor digitorum longus, Peroneus tertius	Deep peroneal nerve, Anterior tibial vessels
Lateral compartment of leg	Fibularis/peroneus longus, Fibularis/peroneus brevis	Superficial peroneal nerve
Deep posterior compartment of leg	Tibialis posterior, Flexor hallucis longus, Flexor digitorum longus, Popliteus	Tibial nerve, Posterior tibial vessels
Superficial posterior compartment of leg	Gastrocnemius, Soleus, Plantaris	Medial sural cutaneous nerve

References

External links

Diagram at patientcareonline.com

List of muscles of lower limbs (TA A04.7, GA 4.465)

Iliac region
/ Iliopsoas

psoas major/psoas minor · iliacus

Buttocks

gluteals: (maximus, medius, minimus) · tensor fasciae latae
lateral rotator group: quadratus femoris · inferior gemellus · obturator internus · superior gemellus · piriformis

Thigh /
compartments

Anterior	sartorius · quadriceps (rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius, vastus medialis) · articularis genu

Posterior/hamstring	biceps femoris · semitendinosus · semimembranosus

Medial	pectineus · obturator externus · gracilis · adductor (longus, brevis, magnus, minimus)

Fascia	Femoral sheath (Femoral canal) · Femoral ring Adductor canal · Adductor hiatus fascia lata (Iliotibial tract, Lateral intermuscular septum of thigh, Medial intermuscular septum of thigh, Fascia cribrosa/Saphenous opening) · Muscular lacuna

Leg/
Crus/
compartments

Anterior	tibialis anterior · extensor hallucis longus · extensor digitorum longus · fibularis tertius

Posterior	superficial · triceps surae (gastrocnemius, soleus, accessory soleus, Achilles tendon) · plantaris deep · tarsal tunnel (flexor hallucis longus, flexor digitorum longus, tibialis posterior) · popliteus

Lateral	fibularis muscles (longus, brevis)

Fascia	Pes anserinus crural fascia (Anterior crural intermuscular septum, Posterior crural intermuscular septum, Transverse intermuscular septum)

Foot

Dorsal	extensor hallucis brevis · extensor digitorum brevis

Plantar	1st layer (abductor hallucis, flexor digitorum brevis, abductor digiti minimi) · 2nd layer (quadratus plantae, lumbrical muscle) · 3rd layer (flexor hallucis brevis, adductor hallucis, flexor digiti minimi brevis) · 4th layer (dorsal interossei, plantar interossei)

Fascia	Plantar fascia retinacula (Fibular, Inferior extensor, Superior extensor, Flexor)

M: MUS, DF+DRCT

anat (h/n, u, t/d, a/p, l)/phys/devp/hist

noco (m, s, c)/cong (d)/tumr, sysi/epon, injr

proc, drug (M1A/3)

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Fascial compartments of leg