Which nerve provides cutaneous innervation to the heel?

Which nerve provides cutaneous innervation to the heel?

• A. Tibial
• B. Sural
• C. Common fibular
• D. Medial plantar

Answer: (A)

The heel gets its sensation from branches of the posterior tibial nerve. Specifically, the calcaneal nerves arise from the tibial nerve before it splits into the medial and lateral plantar nerves and provide cutaneous innervation to the heel skin and the adjacent plantar surface. Other nerves listed primarily serve different regions: the common fibular nerve covers much of the dorsum of the foot and the lateral leg, the medial plantar nerve supplies the medial sole, and the sural nerve mainly supplies the posterolateral leg and nearby foot areas. So, the tibial nerve is the best answer for heel cutaneous innervation.

The heel gets its sensation from branches of the posterior tibial nerve. Specifically, the calcaneal nerves arise from the tibial nerve before it splits into the medial and lateral plantar nerves and provide cutaneous innervation to the heel skin and the adjacent plantar surface. Other nerves listed primarily serve different regions: the common fibular nerve covers much of the dorsum of the foot and the lateral leg, the medial plantar nerve supplies the medial sole, and the sural nerve mainly supplies the posterolateral leg and nearby foot areas. So, the tibial nerve is the best answer for heel cutaneous innervation.