| Superficial fibular (peroneal) nerve | |
| Latin: | nervus fibularis superficialis, nervus peroneus superficialis |
| Branchfrom: | Common fibular nerve |
| Branchto: | Medial dorsal cutaneous nerve, intermediate dorsal cutaneous nerve |
The superficial fibular nerve (also known as superficial peroneal nerve) is a mixed (motor and sensory) nerve that provides motor innervation to the fibularis longus and fibularis brevis muscles, and sensory innervation to skin over the antero-lateral aspect of the leg along with the greater part of the dorsum of the foot (with the exception of the first web space, which is innervated by the deep fibular nerve).
The superficial fibular nerve is the main nerve of the lateral compartment of the leg. It begins at the lateral side of the neck of fibula, and runs through the fibularis longus and fibularis brevis muscles. In the middle third of the leg, it descends between the fibularis longus and fibularis brevis, and then reaches the anterior border of the fibularis brevis to enter the groove between the fibularis brevis and the extensor digitorum longus under the deep fascia of leg. It becomes superficial at the junction of upper two-thirds and lower one-thirds of the leg by piercing the deep fascia. The superficial fibular nerve gives off several branches in the leg.[1]
At the junction between the upper two-thirds and lower one-thirds of the leg, the superficial fibular nerve is divided into medial dorsal cutaneous nerve (medial branch) and intermediate dorsal cutaneous nerve (lateral branch).[1]
The branches of the superficial fibular nerve supply the skin of the dorsal surfaces of all the toes excepting the lateral side of the little toe, and the adjoining sides of the great and second toes, the former being supplied by the lateral dorsal cutaneous nerve from the sural nerve, and the latter by the medial branch of the deep peroneal nerve.
Frequently some of the lateral branches of the superficial fibular nerve are absent, and their places are then taken by branches of the sural nerve.
Injury to the nerve can result in an inability to evert the foot and loss of sensation over the dorsum of the foot (with the exception of the first web space between the great toe and the second toe, where the deep fibular nerve innervates).