Damage to the deep peroneal nerve specifically causes sensory loss in which area?

• A. Lateral aspect of the foot
• B. Heel
• C. First dorsal web space between the hallux and second toe
• D. Dorsum of the foot

Answer: (C)

The key idea is that the deep peroneal nerve provides sensation to a very small patch on the dorsum of the foot—the first dorsal web space between the big toe and the second toe. When this nerve is damaged, sensory loss is confined to that tiny area, because the rest of the dorsum is supplied mainly by the superficial peroneal nerve, the lateral foot by the sural branches, and the heel by branches of the tibial nerve. So the first dorsal web space is the specific region affected by deep peroneal nerve injury.