peroneo

Peroneo is a term used in anatomy and medicine to describe structures related to the fibula, the lateral leg bone, or the lateral compartment of the leg. In Spanish, peroneo denotes the fibular or peroneal region and is applied to muscles, nerves, and vessels that are associated with the peroneal area.

Muscles: The principal peroneal muscles are the peroneus longus and peroneus brevis, located on the lateral aspect of the lower leg. They evert the foot and assist in plantarflexion. A third muscle, peroneus tertius, is variably present and lies in the anterior compartment, contributing to dorsiflexion and eversion.

Nerves: The common fibular (nervio peroneo común) arises from the sciatic nerve and wraps around the fibular neck, where it divides into the superficial peroneal and deep peroneal nerves. The superficial branch supplies the lateral compartment; the deep branch supplies the anterior compartment and can provide sensation on the dorsum of the foot between the first two toes.

Vessels: The peroneal (fibular) artery accompanies the peroneal muscles in the posterior leg and supplies the lateral compartment.

Clinical notes: Injury to the common fibular nerve can cause foot drop and sensory loss over the dorsum of the foot. Peroneal tendon injuries or subluxation are common in ankle injuries and can produce lateral ankle pain and instability.

Name origin: The term derives from Latin peroneus, from Greek peroneios, meaning fibular. In English, peroneal and fibular are often used interchangeably, with peroneal emphasizing the lateral aspect of the leg.