Popliteal Artery

What is the popliteal artery?

Your popliteal artery is a blood vessel that runs down the back of your knee. You have one in each leg. Together with their branches, your popliteal arteries deliver blood to your knees, lower legs and feet.

What does the popliteal artery do?

Your popliteal arteries support healthy blood flow in your lower body. Each popliteal artery has many branches that extend above, below and around your knee. This network of arteries delivers oxygen-rich blood to your:

• Lower hamstring muscles
• Lower thigh bone
• Knee
• Upper shin bone
• Calf muscles

Your popliteal artery also serves as a pulse point. Your healthcare provider may press on it to see how well blood is flowing in your leg.

Where is the popliteal artery located?

Your popliteal artery is behind your knee. It starts in your lower thigh as a continuation of your superficial femoral artery. The exact spot where it begins is in a space between your muscles called the adductor canal.

From the adductor canal, your popliteal artery travels down through the popliteal fossa. You might hear this called your “knee pit.” It’s the soft spot behind your knee. Blood vessels and nerves pass through this area.

After crossing through the popliteal fossa, your popliteal artery ends just below your knee in your upper calf. There, it splits into two terminal (end-point) branches:

• Anterior tibial artery
• Tibioperoneal trunk, which splits into the posterior tibial artery and peroneal artery

These arteries get their blood supply from the popliteal artery. They send that blood on to your ankle and foot.

Popliteal artery branches

Besides its terminal branches, your popliteal artery has other branches along its course. These branches extend from the artery in your knee area. Picture a main road with side streets that intersect with it. The “side streets” that branch from your popliteal artery include your:

• Superior lateral genicular artery
• Superior medial genicular artery
• Middle genicular artery
• Sural artery
• Inferior lateral genicular artery
• Inferior medial genicular artery

What happens if the popliteal artery is damaged?

Traumatic injuries, plaque buildup and other health conditions can limit or block blood flow in your popliteal arteries. This can keep your legs and feet from getting the blood and oxygen they need to work as they should. In severe cases and without treatment, popliteal artery damage can lead to limb loss.

Examples of conditions that can affect your popliteal artery include:

• Peripheral artery disease (PAD): Plaque can build up in your leg arteries, including your popliteal artery. This can cause leg pain when you’re active. You may need medicines, procedures, supervised walking programs or changes to your daily habits.
• Popliteal artery entrapment syndrome: The muscles around your popliteal artery can squeeze the artery and reduce blood flow. This condition occurs most often in young athletes. Surgery can restore normal blood flow.
• Popliteal aneurysm: Part of your popliteal artery can balloon outward, forming an abnormal bulge. This can lead to blood clots and other complications. If the aneurysm grows too big or you have symptoms, you may need a procedure or surgery to repair it.
• Adventitial cystic disease: A fluid-filled sac can form in your popliteal artery wall. This reduces blood flow. Symptoms include lower leg cramping when you walk or exercise. Surgery can repair the problem.
• Hemorrhage: Trauma to your knee can cause your popliteal artery to rupture and bleed. Experts estimate that up to 1 in 5 knee dislocations cause such a rupture. You need surgery right away. Surgeons create a bypass around the damaged artery for blood to flow.

When should I see a healthcare provider?

Call your provider if you have:

• Leg or foot wounds that won’t heal
• Pain when walking or problems moving
• Unexplained leg swelling
• Change in leg temperature or color
• Leg pain at rest

How can I protect my popliteal arteries?

These lifestyle changes can keep your arteries and circulatory system healthy:

• Quit smoking or using tobacco products.
• Exercise most days of the week.
• Follow a heart-healthy diet that’s low in cholesterol, fat and salt.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Manage conditions like diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

What is the difference between the popliteal artery and popliteal vein?

Your popliteal vein is a blood vessel that runs just behind your popliteal artery, with blood flow going the opposite way. Your popliteal artery carries blood that’s rich in oxygen to your tissues. By contrast, your popliteal vein carries blood that’s now low in oxygen. The vein drains this blood from your feet, calf and knee area and sends it back up toward your heart.