Nerves of the leg in 3D

Course of the main nerves

The femoral nerve enters the thigh lateral to the femoral artery and splits into muscular and anterior cutaneous branches; its saphenous branch continues down the medial side of the leg. The obturator nerve leaves the pelvis through the obturator canal and divides into anterior and posterior branches around adductor brevis.

The sciatic nerve leaves the pelvis below piriformis and descends deep to the hamstrings. The tibial nerve passes through the popliteal fossa and the calf and divides behind the medial malleolus into the medial and lateral plantar nerves. The common fibular nerve gives the deep fibular nerve to the anterior compartment and the superficial fibular nerve to the lateral compartment and the skin of the dorsum of the foot.

What the 3D model shows

The model shows the nerves of the right lower limb with the skeleton as see-through context: the femoral nerve with its saphenous and anterior cutaneous branches; the anterior and posterior branches of the obturator nerve; the superior gluteal nerve and the nerves to piriformis and quadratus femoris; the sciatic, tibial and common fibular nerves; the deep and superficial fibular nerves; the sural nerve; the medial and lateral plantar nerves; and cutaneous nerves including the lateral and posterior femoral cutaneous nerves and the branches of the genitofemoral nerve. A second view adds the limb muscles.

How to study the nerves of the leg

Start in the posterior view and follow the sciatic nerve from below piriformis down the thigh to its division. Trace the tibial nerve through the calf to the sole and the common fibular nerve around the neck of the fibula. Turn to the anterior view for the femoral nerve and its saphenous branch. Then switch to the nerves-and-muscles view and work compartment by compartment: name the muscles and the nerve that supplies them, and check your answer by isolating that nerve.