Latin Fossa poplitea | Dorlands/Elsevier 12376523 | |
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The popliteal fossa (sometimes referred to as the kneepit) is a shallow depression located at the back of the knee joint. The bones of the popliteal fossa are the femur and the tibia.
Contents
Boundaries
The boundaries of the fossa are:
Roof
The roof is formed by (from superficial to deep):
- skin
- superficial fascia, which contains the small saphenous vein, the terminal branch of the posterior cutaneous nerve of the thigh, posterior division of the medial cutaneous nerve, lateral sural cutaneous nerve, and medial sural cutaneous nerve
- deep fascia or popliteal fascia
Floor
The floor is formed by:
- the popliteal surface of the femur
- the capsule of the knee joint and the oblique popliteal ligament
- strong fascia covering the popliteus muscle
Contents
Structures within the popliteal fossa include, (from superficial to deep):
It is of note that the common fibular nerve also begins at the superior angle of the popliteal fossa.
References
Popliteal fossa Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA