6 – Anatomy: The trajectory of the saphenous nerve
The saphenous nerve is the only nerve innervating the ankle and foot that is not a sciatic nerve branch; it is a purely sensory nerve
The saphenous nerve branches off the femoral nerve in the subinguinal region and descends subsartorially first in the femoral triangle and then into the adductor canal, where it pierces the vastoadductor membrane and emerges between the sartorius and gracilis and pierces the deep fascia on the medial side of the knee
A sensory infrapatellar branch supplies sensory branches to the medial part of the knee
The saphenous nerve supplies sensory branches to the medial side of the leg, ankle and foot including the medial part of the capsules of the ankle joint and the subtalar joints
On the medial side of the leg and ankle the saphenous nerve is joined by the long saphenous vein
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