Master Lateral Lower Leg Anatomy with Picmonic for Medicine

The superficial peroneal nerve, or superficial fibular nerve, innervates the muscles of the lateral compartment of the leg. It passes between the fibularis muscles and extensor digitorum longus before coursing into deep fascia. Injury to this nerve leaves the patient unable to evert or plantarflex the foot.

These muscles work to evert the foot (away from midline).

The fibularis brevis and fibularis longus work to plantarflex the foot at the ankle. Plantarflexion is the movement which decreases the angle between the sole of the foot and the back of the leg, for example, when depressing an car pedal or standing on the tiptoes.

The fibularis brevis arises from the lateral surface of the fibula and inserts onto the tuberosity at the base of the 5th metatarsal. It works to evert and plantarflex the foot. It lies underneath the fibularis longus, and is much shorter and smaller.

The fibularis longus is a superficial muscle in the lateral compartment of the leg. It acts to evert and plantarflex the foot. It originates from the lateral surface of the fibula and ends in a long tendon, which inserts at the lateral side of the medial cuneiform and first metatarsal bone.