The arteries of the lower limbs serve as blood conduits to the tissues of the lower limbs. They are larger relative to the arteries of the upper limbs.
In this video, we will consider the anatomy of the anterior tibial artery and its branches, as well as its areas of blood supply.
The anterior tibial artery (a. tibialis anterior) is a continuation of the popliteal artery (a. poplitea). It arises in the popliteal fossa at the inferior border of the popliteus muscle. Then it passes into the cruropopliteal canal and immediately exits it through the anterior opening in the superior part of the interosseous membrane of the leg. After that, it descends along the anterior surface of the interosseous membrane down between the tibialis anterior muscle and the extensor digitorum longus and passes into the dorsal artery of the foot.
Along its course, it gives rise to six branches.
Muscular branches (rr. musculares)
Perforating branches (rr. perforantes)
The posterior tibial recurrent artery (a. recurrens tibialis posterior)
Posterior tibial recurrent artery (a. recurrens tibialis posterior) 
Posterior tibial recurrent artery (a. recurrens tibialis posterior) 
The anterior tibial recurrent artery (a. recurrens tibialis anterior)
Anterior tibial recurrent artery (a. recurrens tibialis anterior) 
Anterior tibial recurrent artery (a. recurrens tibialis anterior) 
The anterior lateral malleolar artery (a. maleolaris anterior lateralis)
Anterior lateral malleolar artery (a. maleolaris anterior lateralis) 
Anterior lateral malleolar artery (a. maleolaris anterior lateralis) 
The anterior medial malleolar artery (a. maleolaris anterior medialis)
Now let’s consider each of them in greater detail.
Musclar branches (rr. musculares) supply the anterior muscles of the leg with blood.
Perforating branches (rr. perforantes) pass behind the extensor digitorum longus muscle and pierce the deep fascia.
They supply to the skin of the front of the leg with blood.
The posterior tibial recurrent artery (a. recurrens tibialis posterior) begins within the popliteal fossa.
It supplies the knee joint and the popliteal muscle with blood.
The artery anastomoses with the inferior medial genicular artery, forming the genicular anastomosis.
The anterior tibial recurrent artery (a. recurrens tibialis anterior) arises immediately after the spot where the anterior tibial artery passes to the anterior surface of the interosseous membrane of the leg.
It supplies the knee and tibiofibular joints, the beginning of the anterior tibial muscle, and the extensor digitorum longus muscle with blood.
It anastomoses with the arteries forming the genicular anastomosis.
The anterior lateral malleolar artery (a. maleolaris anterior lateralis) arises above the lateral malleolus.
It supplies blood to the lateral malleolus, the ankle joint and the tarsal bones.
The artery forms a lateral malleolar network (rete maleolare laterale) and anastomoses with lateral malleolar branches (from the fibular artery).
The anterior medial malleolar artery (a. maleolaris anterior medialis) arises at the level of the lateral artery of the same name.
It supplies the ankle joint with blood.
It anastomoses with the medial malleolar branches (from the posterior tibial artery) and participates in the formation of the medial malleolar network (rete maleolare mediale).
The anterior tibial arteryand its branches
- Anterior tibial artery
- a. tibialis anterior
- Muscular branches
- rr. musculares
- Perforating branches
- rr. perforantes
- Posterior tibial recurrentartery
- a. recurrens tibialis posterior
- Anterior tibial recurrentartery
- a. recurrens tibialis anterior
- Anterior lateral malleolarartery
- a. maleolaris anterior lateralis
- Lateral malleolar network
- rete maleolare laterale
- Anterior medial malleolar artery
- a. maleolaris anterior medialis
- Medial malleolar network
- rete maleolare mediale
