Corpus: Lateral plantar nerve

The lateral plantar nerve is a mixed nerve branch originating from the tibial nerve.

The lateral plantar nerve accompanies the lateral plantar artery to the lateral side of the foot. It is situated between the flexor digitorum brevis muscle and the quadratus plantae muscle. This nerve is bifurcated into two branches: a superficial branch and a deep branch.

• Superficial branch (Ramus superficialis)
• Deep branch (Ramus profundus)

The initial branch that diverges from the lateral plantar nerve is commonly referred to as the Baxter nerve.

The lateral plantar nerve innervates the skin of the fifth toe and the lateral half of the fourth toe, as well as the skin on the sole of the foot proximal to the fifth toe. Its motor functions include supplying several muscles in the foot:

• Abductor digiti minimi muscle
• Flexor digiti minimi brevis muscle
• Opponens digiti minimi muscle
• Adductor hallucis muscle
• Flexor hallucis brevis muscle (lateral head)
• Quadratus plantae muscle
• Dorsal interossei muscle
• Plantar interossei muscle
• Lumbrical muscles (second, third, and fourth)