A patient presents with sensory loss on adjacent sides of the great and second toes and impaired dorsiflexion of the foot. These signs probably indicate damage to which of the following nerves?
High-Yield Explanation
The deep peroneal nerve supplies the anterior muscles of the leg, including the tibialis anterior, extensor hallucis longus, extensor digitorum longus, and peroneus teius muscles, which dorsiflex the foot. The medial branch of the deep peroneal nerve supplies the skin of adjacent sides of the great and second toes, whereas the lateral branch supplies the extensor digitorum brevis and extensor hallucis brevis. The superficial peroneal nerve innervates the peroneus longus and brevis, which plantar flexes the foot, and supplies the skin on the side of the lower leg and the dorsum of the ankle and foot. The tibial nerve innervates the muscles of the posterior compament that plantar flexes and supplies the skin on the heel and plantar aspect of the foot. The sural nerve supplies the skin on the posterolateral aspect of the leg and the lateral aspect of the foot and the little toe.