The posterior tibial artery of the lower limb

Lower limb

The lower limb is a limb of the body.According to Terminologia Anatomica, it includes the pelvic girdle, buttocks, hip, and thigh, as well as the components distal to the knee.-References:...

 carries blood to the posterior compartment of the leg and plantar surface of the foot

Foot

The foot is an anatomical structure found in many vertebrates. It is the terminal portion of a limb which bears weight and allows locomotion. In many animals with feet, the foot is a separate organ at the terminal part of the leg made up of one or more segments or bones, generally including claws...

, from the popliteal artery

Popliteal artery

In human anatomy, the popliteal artery is defined as the extension of the "superficial" femoral artery after passing through the adductor canal and adductor hiatus above the knee...

. It is accompanied by a deep vein

Deep vein

Deep vein is a term used to describe a vein that is deep in the body. It is used to differentiate deep veins from veins which are close to the surface, also known as superficial veins....

, the posterior tibial vein

Posterior tibial vein

In anatomy, the posterior tibial vein of the lower limb carries blood from the posterior compartment and plantar surface of the foot to the popliteal vein which it forms when it joins with the anterior tibial vein....

, along its course.

Branches

It typically gives rise to the fibular artery

Fibular artery

In anatomy, the fibular artery supplies blood to the lateral compartment of the leg and is typically a branch of posterior tibial artery.-Structure:...

.

It also gives rise to medial plantar artery

Medial plantar artery

The medial plantar artery , much smaller than the lateral, passes forward along the medial side of the foot.It is at first situated above the Abductor hallucis, and then between it and the Flexor digitorum brevis, both of which it supplies.At the base of the first metatarsal bone, where it is much...

 and lateral plantar artery

Lateral plantar artery

The lateral plantar artery , much larger than the medial, passes obliquely lateralward and forward to the base of the fifth metatarsal bone....

.

In addition a calcaneal branch to the medial aspect of the calcaneus.

Palpation of the posterior tibial artery pulse

The posterior tibial artery pulse

Pulse

In medicine, one's pulse represents the tactile arterial palpation of the heartbeat by trained fingertips. The pulse may be palpated in any place that allows an artery to be compressed against a bone, such as at the neck , at the wrist , behind the knee , on the inside of the elbow , and near the...

 can be readily palpated

Palpation

Palpation is used as part of a physical examination in which an object is felt to determine its size, shape, firmness, or location...

 posterior and inferior to the medial malleolus and is often examined by physicians when assessing a patient for peripheral vascular disease. It is very rarely absent in young and healthy individuals; in a study of 547 healthy individuals only one person did not have a palpable posterior tibial artery. It is easily palpated over Pimenta's Point

Pimenta's Point

Pimenta's Point is an anatomical landmark for easy location of the posterior tibial artery or tibialis posterior artery . An imagined line is drawn between the bony prominence of the medial malleolus and the insertion of the achilles tendon...

.

External links

- "The Arteries of the Lower Extremity" - "Ankle joint" - "Arteries of the lower extremity shown in association with major landmarks."

• Image at umich.edu - pulse
• http://www.dartmouth.edu/~humananatomy/figures/chapter_15/15-10.HTM
• http://www.dartmouth.edu/~humananatomy/figures/chapter_17/17-3.HTM