Medial calcaneal nerve. An anatomical study.

The authors studied the medial calcaneal nerve of the human foot to determine its precise origin and to establish in detail its course and distribution. Its origin and distribution were compared to those of the inferior calcaneal nerve, and the importance of the nerve in the diagnosis of heel pain was reviewed. The authors concluded that the medial calcaneal nerve occurs in all subjects. Its origin is variable, arising from either the tibial nerve or the lateral plantar nerve after the bifurcation of the former. It innervates the flexor retinaculum and the skin of the heel pad. Therefore, it is clinically a source of pain perception in the heel.