Leg muscles

The muscles of the leg are found within its three compartments and grouped accordingly.

• The anterior muscles of the leg are the tibialis anterior, extensor digitorum longus, fibularis tertius and extensor hallucis longus. Their main function is dorsiflexion of the foot, while some of them participate in inversion and eversion of the foot. They are all innervated by the deep fibular (peroneal) nerve.
• The posterior muscles of the leg are divided into superficial and deep. The former are the gastrocnemius, plantaris and soleus, while the latter are the tibialis posterior, flexor hallucis longus, popliteus and flexor digitorum longus. Their primary functions are plantar flexion, but they also aid inversion of the foot, flexion and stabilization of the knee joint. They are innervated by the tibial nerve.
• The lateral muscles of the leg are the fibularis longus and fibularis brevis. They primarily produce the eversion of the foot. The innervation is supplied by the superficial fibular (peroneal) nerve.

Learn the anatomy of the leg muscles with our diagrams and interactive tutorials below. Upgrade your knowledge with advanced quizzes and videos.