The popliteal artery
Popliteal artery · arteria poplitea
The artery behind your knee.
What it does
The popliteal artery continues from the femoral artery in the hollow behind the knee, lying deep against the bone. It gives branches around the knee joint and then splits into the arteries of the lower leg.
Surprising fact
The pulse behind the knee is one of the hardest to feel, because the artery lies so deep; doctors often bend the knee to relax the tissues.
Why it matters
Because it lies against the bone, a dislocated knee can damage this artery, so blood flow to the foot is always checked after such an injury.
Nearby
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Sources
Drafted with AI help; awaiting a human fact-check against these sources.
Open in the 3D atlas · Suggest a correction · Not medical advice.
3D models: Z-Anatomy & BodyParts3D (CC BY-SA 4.0 / 2.1 JP). Card text CC BY 4.0.