Description
The crural fascia, or deep fascia of the leg, surrounds the leg tightly and it is continuous superiorly with the fascia lata of the thigh (Wineski, 2018). The crural fascia attaches around the knee via the patellar margin, patellar ligament, the tibial tuberosity, tibial condyles, and fibular head. Inferior to the tibial condyles, the crural fascia attaches to the periosteum of the anterior and medial borders of the tibia (Wineski, 2018). Laterally, it is continuous with the anterior and posterior intermuscular septae. Posteriorly, the crural fascia is continuous with the popliteal fascia, which covers the popliteal fossa.
Proximally and anteriorly, the crural fascia is thick and dense, while posteriorly it tends to be thin (Standring, 2016). Distally and anteriorly, the crural fascia thickens into two bands which form the superior and inferior extensor retinacula. These retinaculae prevent bowstringing of the tendons, arising from the muscles of the anterior compartment of the leg, during dorsiflexion of the ankle joint (Moore, Dalley and Agur, 2013).
Related parts of the anatomy
List of Clinical Correlates
—Compartment syndrome
References
Moore, K. L., Dalley, A. F. and Agur, A. M. R. (2013) Clinically Oriented Anatomy. Clinically Oriented Anatomy 7th edn.: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Standring, S. (2016) Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice. Gray's Anatomy Series 41st edn.: Elsevier Limited.
Wineski, L. E. (2018) Snell's Clinical Anatomy by Regions. 10 edn.: Wolters Kluwer Health.
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Crural Fascia
The deep muscular (crural) fascia encloses the muscles of the anterior and lateral compartments.
