A small branch of the tibial nerve supplying the plantaris muscle, arising in the popliteal fossa close to the nerve to lateral gastrocnemius. The plantaris receives its motor supply before the tibial nerve passes beneath the soleal arch.
The nerve to plantaris has minimal clinical significance given the vestigial nature of the plantaris muscle, but its assessment in popliteal tibial nerve injury helps localise the lesion level. Plantaris EMG is occasionally performed in detailed brachial-level or tibial nerve studies to assess completeness of injury. The nerve is absent in individuals lacking the plantaris muscle (approximately 7-10% of the population).
Loss of nerve to plantaris in proximal tibial nerve injury, of minor functional consequence given the vestigial plantaris role, but useful as an EMG localisation marker for the tibial nerve injury level in the popliteal fossa.
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