Tibial nerve branching in the tarsal tunnel
A. L. Dellon and S. E. Mackinnon
To provide an anatomical basis for diagnosis and treatment of the tarsal
tunnel syndrome, the relationship of the tibial nerve to the tarsal tunnel
was investigated in 31 feet of 20 cadavers. The bifurcation into medial and
lateral plantar nerves occurred within 1 cm of the malleolar-calcaneal axis
in 90% of the feet. Seven of 11 bilateral specimens were bilaterally
symmetrical in the bifurcation location; three varied within 1 cm between
sides; and in the fourth cadaver, one side bifurcated at 3 cm and the other
at 5 cm proximal to the axis. The calcaneal nerve showed great variability;
in seven cadavers, it arose within, in eight cadavers proximal to, and in
five cadavers there were multiple branches arising both proximal to and
within the tarsal tunnel.
