Fascial compartment
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
On the human body, the limbs can be divided into segments, such as the arm and the forearm of the upper limb, and the thigh and the leg of the lower limb.
If these segments are cut transversely, it is apparent that they are divided into multiple sections. These are called fascial compartments, and are formed by tough connective tissue septa.
These compartments usually have a separate nerve and blood supply to their neighbours. The muscles in each compartment will often all be supplied by the same nerve.
[edit] Fascial compartments of the body
The thigh is usually divided into three compartments:
- Anterior - supplied by the femoral nerve, contains the knee extensors and hip flexors.
- Medial - supplied by the obturator nerve, contains the hip adductors.
- Posterior - supplied by the sciatic nerve, contains the knee flexors and hip extensors.
The (lower) leg is divided into three compartments also (by the interosseous membrane of the leg):
- Anterior - supplied by the deep peroneal nerve and anterior tibial artery, contains the dorsiflexors.
- Lateral - supplied by the superficial peroneal nerve, contains the evertors of the foot.
- Posterior - supplied by the tibial nerve, contains the plantar flexors.
The (upper) arm is divided into two compartments (by the lateral intermuscular septum and the medial intermuscular septum):
- Anterior - supplied by the musculocutaneous nerve.
- Posterior - supplied by the radial nerve.
The forearm is divided into two compartments:
- Anterior - supplied by the median nerve.
- Posterior - supplied by the radial nerve.
