Which nerve is commonly injured with fibular neck fracture?

• A. Tibial nerve
• B. Sciatic nerve
• C. Common peroneal (fibular) nerve
• D. Femoral nerve

Answer: (C)

Fibular neck fractures put the common peroneal nerve at risk because the nerve travels around the neck of the fibula, just beneath the skin, before dividing into its deep and superficial branches. This close relationship means the nerve can be stretched, compressed, or directly injured by a fracture at that site. When this nerve is damaged, dorsiflexion and toe extension weaken (leading to foot drop), and there may be loss of sensation on the dorsum of the foot and between the first two toes depending on which branch is affected.

In contrast, the tibial nerve runs posteriorly in the leg and behind the medial malleolus, far from the fibular neck, so it is not typically injured by a fracture there. The sciatic nerve lies higher up in the thigh and is also not usually involved in a fibular neck fracture. The femoral nerve is located in the thigh, well away from the fibular neck, making it an unlikely injured structure in this scenario.