Espiral AtlasNeck of the fibula
collum fibulae
Study entry
Description
A short narrowing just below the head.
Relations
The common fibular nerve winds around the neck and divides there into its terminal branches.
Palpation
Just below the lateral part of the head.
Clinical
Because it runs under the skin around the neck, the common fibular nerve can be injured in a fracture of the neck of the fibula.
Source: cap. 7, «Huesos del miembro inferior: fíbula» y «Anatomía de superficie» y «Nervio fibular común» y cuadro clínico
Clinical correlation
Injury of the common fibular nerve and foot drop
It is the most injured nerve of the lower limb, because it winds around the neck of the fibula just under the skin. It can be cut in a fracture of the neck of the fibula and greatly stretched in dislocation or injury of the knee. Transection causes flaccid paralysis of all the muscles of the anterior and lateral compartments (dorsiflexors and evertors). Without dorsiflexion the foot drops, and drops even more because inversion is unopposed. The limb becomes «too long» and the toes scrape the ground in the swing phase.
Related clinical cases
- Injury of the common fibular nerve and foot drop