Damage to which nerve would most likely cause sensory loss along the medial aspect of the leg and foot?

Damage to which nerve would most likely cause sensory loss along the medial aspect of the leg and foot?

• A. Sural nerve
• B. Saphenous nerve
• C. Tibial nerve
• D. Common fibular nerve

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is how cutaneous nerves map to areas of the leg. The saphenous nerve is a purely sensory branch of the femoral nerve that travels with the great saphenous vein and supplies the skin along the medial leg from the knee down to the medial malleolus and the medial aspect of the foot. If this nerve is damaged, sensory loss appears specifically in that medial region. Other nerves cover different areas: the sural nerve supplies the posterolateral leg and lateral side of the foot; the tibial nerve provides sensation to the plantar (sole) surface; the common fibular nerve covers the dorsum of the foot and the lateral leg. Since medial leg and foot sensation is primarily carried by the saphenous nerve, its injury best explains sensory loss in that region.

The main idea here is how cutaneous nerves map to areas of the leg. The saphenous nerve is a purely sensory branch of the femoral nerve that travels with the great saphenous vein and supplies the skin along the medial leg from the knee down to the medial malleolus and the medial aspect of the foot. If this nerve is damaged, sensory loss appears specifically in that medial region.

Other nerves cover different areas: the sural nerve supplies the posterolateral leg and lateral side of the foot; the tibial nerve provides sensation to the plantar (sole) surface; the common fibular nerve covers the dorsum of the foot and the lateral leg. Since medial leg and foot sensation is primarily carried by the saphenous nerve, its injury best explains sensory loss in that region.