Lower limb: common fibular nerve: practice question

A Anatomy question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Anatomy · Lower limb: common fibular nerve

Sample item

A tight plaster cast around the fibular neck causes foot drop. Which movement is most directly lost?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Dorsiflexion of the ankle

The common fibular nerve winds around the fibular neck and gives the deep fibular nerve to anterior-compartment dorsiflexors. Injury causes foot drop and sensory loss in the first dorsal web space.

Option by option

  • A. Dorsiflexion of the ankle (correct)

    Correct. Deep fibular nerve palsy disables tibialis anterior and toe extensors.

  • B. Flexion of the knee

    Hamstrings flex the knee and are supplied primarily by the tibial division of sciatic nerve.

  • C. Inversion by tibialis posterior

    Tibialis posterior is innervated by the tibial nerve.

  • D. Plantarflexion of the ankle

    Plantarflexion is supplied mainly by tibial-nerve posterior-compartment muscles.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Anatomy questions

Questions about this Anatomy question

What is the answer to this Anatomy question?

The best answer is A, Dorsiflexion of the ankle. The common fibular nerve winds around the fibular neck and gives the deep fibular nerve to anterior-compartment dorsiflexors.

Why is "Flexion of the knee" not the answer?

Hamstrings flex the knee and are supplied primarily by the tibial division of sciatic nerve.

Why is "Inversion by tibialis posterior" not the answer?

Tibialis posterior is innervated by the tibial nerve.

Why is "Plantarflexion of the ankle" not the answer?

Plantarflexion is supplied mainly by tibial-nerve posterior-compartment muscles.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Lower limb: common fibular nerve in Anatomy. Injury causes foot drop and sensory loss in the first dorsal web space.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Lower limb: common fibular nerve?

Learn every nerve by its route, its muscles and what a lesion looks like at the bedside. That one habit answers a large share of questions. Then use the flashcards and the other Anatomy questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.