The tibial nerve
Tibial nerve · nervus tibialis
The nerve that runs down the back of your calf to the sole of your foot.
What it does
The tibial nerve continues from the sciatic nerve behind the knee and runs down the calf, behind the inner ankle and into the sole. It powers the calf muscles that point the foot and curl the toes, and carries feeling from the sole.
Surprising fact
It splits into nerves for the sole just behind the inner ankle bone, where it can be squeezed in a narrow space called the tarsal tunnel, the foot's version of carpal tunnel.
Why it matters
Because it carries feeling from the soles, it is one of the first nerves affected in diabetes, when numb feet can lead to unnoticed injuries.
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.