Lower limb
Anterior tibial artery
Arteria tibialis anterior
- Origin
- Terminal branch of the popliteal artery at the lower border of popliteus
- Insertion
- Pierces interosseous membrane into anterior leg compartment, descends with deep fibular nerve, and becomes dorsalis pedis artery at the ankle
- Function
- Primary arterial supply to anterior leg compartment muscles (dorsiflexors) and the dorsum of the foot
- Innervation
- Sympathetic vasomotor fibers
- Movement & chain
- Descends along the anterior surface of the interosseous membrane
- Palpation
- Palpable on the anterior aspect of the ankle joint midway between the malleoli
- Clinical
- Acute anterior compartment syndrome of the leg causing muscle ischemia, deep peroneal nerve palsy (foot drop); treated with emergent 4-compartment fasciotomy
- Segmental innervation
- L4–S1 spinal segments
- In clinical practice
- Surveillance of distal pulses and compartment softness post-tibial fracture fixation or casting
- Region in the model
- Lower limb