Leg nerves. Historical anatomical artwork of the nerves (white) of the rear of a human lower leg. At left, the superficial (surface) nerves are seen and at right the deep nerves and muscles (red) are seen. The main deep nerve (at the centre of the leg) is the popliteal nerve (in the knee region) that becomes the tibial nerve of the lower leg. The tendons and ligaments of the knee, lower leg and foot are also seen (grey). The superficial nerve shown at left is the external sapheneous nerve. Artwork from The Nerves of the Human Body (Ed. Jones Quain, London, 1839).