What Are the Nerves of the Foot?
Several major nerves serve the human foot. On the top surface of the foot are the dorsal digital nerves and their branches: the deep peroneal nerve, the medial dorsal cutaneous nerve, the intermediate dorsal cutaneous nerve, and the sural nerve. Also on the front surface is the saphenous nerve, which is not included among the dorsal digital nerves because it does not penetrate any of the toes. On the sole, the nerves of the foot are the medial and lateral plantar nerves, which arise from the tibial nerve in the heel. The dorsal digital nerves are those nerves of the foot that cross the top surface and insert in the digits, or toes. Also known as the deep fibular nerve, the deep peroneal nerve branches off from the common fibular nerve at the top of the back of the lower leg on the side of the fibula bone. Curving toward the big-toe side of the foot, it crosses the ankle and splits into medial and lateral branches. These nerves serve the muscles that extend or straighten the toes.
