What muscles does the tibial nerve innervate?

The tibial nerve is a branch of the sciatic nerve and plays a critical role in the innervation of several muscles in the posterior compartment of the leg. The gastrocnemius and soleus (often grouped as the triceps surae), the superficial digital flexor (SDF), the deep digital flexor (DDF), and the popliteus muscle are all innervated by the tibial nerve.

The gastrocnemius is responsible for plantarflexion of the foot and flexion of the knee, while the soleus aids in plantarflexion. The SDF and DDF are vital for flexing the toes and providing stability during locomotion. The popliteus muscle plays a role in unlocking the knee joint during its initial movement. Therefore, the correct answer encompasses all these muscles that the tibial nerve innervates, emphasizing the nerve’s importance in both movement and stability of the hind limb.

The other options contain muscles innervated by different nerves: the tensor fascia latae and middle gluteal are innervated by the superior gluteal nerve, the rectus femoris and vastus intermedius are innervated by the femoral nerve, and the gracilis and sartorius are