Dermatome Map Leg And Footdermatome Legs The Skin And Wellness Center

Dermatome Map Leg And Footdermatome Legs The Skin And Wellness CenterThe term “dermatome” is a mix of 2 Ancient Greek words; “derma” implying “skin”, and “tome”, indicating “cutting” or “thin sector”. It is an area of skin which is innervated by the posterior (dorsal) root of a single spinal nerve. As posterior roots are arranged in sectors, dermatomes are. This is why the term “dermatome” describes the segmental innervation of the skin.

Dermatome Map Leg And Footdermatome Legs The Skin And Wellness Center

Dermatome Map Lower Limb Annotated Stock Vector Royalty Free 256938613 Shutterstock – Dermatome Map Lower Limb Annotated Stock Vector Royalty Free 256938613 Shutterstock

Surrounding dermatomes frequently, if not always overlap to some degree with each other, as the sensory peripheral branches corresponding to one posterior root generally surpass the limit of their dermatome. The thin lines seen in the dermatome maps are more of a clinical guide than a genuine limit. Dermatome Map Leg And Footdermatome Legs The Skin And Wellness Center

This implies that if a single back nerve is impacted, there is likely still some degree of innervation to that section of skin originating from above and below. For a dermatome to be completely numb, normally 2 or three surrounding posterior roots need to be affected. In addition, it’s important to note that dermatomes are subject to a big degree of interindividual variation. A graphical representation of all the dermatomes on a body surface area chart is described as a dermatome map. Dermatome Map Leg And Footdermatome Legs The Skin And Wellness Center

Dermatome maps

Dermatome maps depict the sensory distribution of each dermatome across the body. Clinicians can evaluate cutaneous sensation with a dermatome map as a way to localize lesions within central nervous tissue, injury to particular spinal nerves, and to determine the degree of the injury. A number of dermatome maps have been established throughout the years however are frequently clashing.

The most frequently utilized dermatome maps in significant textbooks are the Keegan and Garrett map (1948) which leans towards a developmental interpretation of this principle, and the Foerster map (1933) which correlates better with clinical practice. This short article will review the dermatomes using both maps, determining and comparing the major differences between them.

Why Are Dermatomes Important?

To understand dermatomes, it is important to understand the anatomy of the spinal column. The spine is divided into 31 sections, each with a set (right and left) of posterior and anterior nerve roots. The kinds of nerves in the posterior and anterior roots are different.

Anterior nerve roots are accountable for motor signals to the body, and posterior nerve roots get sensory signals like discomfort or other sensory symptoms. The anterior and posterior nerve roots combine on each side to form the spine nerves as they exit the vertebral canal (the bones of the spine, or backbone).