The popliteal artery arises as the continuation of the femoral artery as it passes through the hiatus in the tendon of adductor magnus at about 8-10 cm above the knee. It enters the politeal fossa on the medial side of the femur. It remains relatively deep and inclines slightly medial to lateral along its course.
Proximally, it is separated from the femoral surface only by fat. Vastus medialis is immediately medial. Vastus lateralis and the short head of biceps femoris are immediately lateral. It lies deep and medial to the tibial nerve; throughout the politeal fossa, the popliteal vein is interposed between artery and tibial nerve. Semimembranosus and semitendinosus are more superficial.
Posterior to the knee joint, it is superficial and adherent to the popliteal ligament that reinforces the posterior capsule. The medial head of gastrocnemius lies immediately medial; plantaris and the lateral head of gastrocnemius are lateral. Popliteal vein and tibial nerve are again superficial.
Distally, the popliteal artery lies free and superficial to the fascia of popliteus and then tibialis posterior. Occasionally, it passes deep to popliteus. Superficially, the tibial nerve and popliteal vein have passed from medial to lateral. More superficially, vein, artery and nerve are covered by plantaris. The medial head of gastrocnemius is superficial and medial to sartorius and the artery. Laterally and superficially is the lateral head of gastrocnemius.
Twenty centimetres distal to its origin, just beyond the distal border of the plantaris muscle, the popliteal artery passes deep to the fibrous arch in soleus. At this point it terminates by dividing into anterior and posterior tibial arteries.
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