Massage Therapy Journal Spring 2024

54 • Massage Therapy Journal

AMTA Continuing Education

fibular nerve branches off from the sciatic nerve just superior to the knee, running laterally and inferiorly around the neck of the fibula. 14 The fibular nerve has two main branches: the superficial fibular nerve and the deep fibular nerve detailed below. The superficial fibular nerve branch of the fibular nerve provides sensory innervation to the skin on the front and outer side of the lower leg and the top of the foot. It provides motor function to the fibularis longus and fibularis brevis muscles. The deep fibular nerve branch of the fibular nerve provides motor innervation to the muscles in the anterior compartment of the lower leg. The deep fibular nerve also supplies sensation to the skin between the first and second toes. This nerve provides motor function to the tibialis anterior, extensor hallucis longus and extensor digitorum longus.

The sural nerve is a sensory nerve located in the lower limbs. It is a branch of the tibial nerve and the common fibular (peroneal) nerve, which are both major aspects of the sciatic nerve. The sural nerve provides sensory innervation to the skin on the lateral and posterior aspects of the lower leg and foot, and is formed by contributions from both the tibial nerve and the common fibular nerve. These nerve fibers merge and travel together as the sural nerve. The medial plantar nerve is a branch of the tibial nerve. The function of the medial plantar nerve is to provide sensory and motor innervation to specific muscles and skin areas on the medial side of the foot. The medial plantar nerve arises from the tibial nerve as it travels down the lower leg and passes through the tarsal tunnel.

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