Muscles of the foot
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Along with the tendons of the calf muscles, which form part of the anterior, posterior and lateral groups, attached to the bones of the foot, the foot has its own (short) muscles.
These muscles begin and attach within the skeleton of the foot, have complex anatomical and topographical and functional relationships with the tendons of those leg muscles whose attachment points are on the bones of the foot. Muscles of the foot are located on its rear and on the sole.
[Muscles of rear of foot
The muscles of the rear of the foot lie under the dorsal fascia of the foot and the tendons of the long extensors of the fingers. These are two muscles - a short extensor of the fingers and a short extensor of the big toe.
The short extensor of the fingers (m.extensor digitorum brevis) is an underdeveloped muscle. It begins on the anterolateral and lateral surfaces of the calcaneus. The muscle passes along the back surface of the foot obliquely forward and medially. The three tendons of this muscle reach the II-IV fingers, join from the lateral side to the tendons of the long extensor of the fingers and, together with them, attach to the bases of the middle and distal phalanges.
Function: together with the tendons of the long extensor of the fingers participates in the extension of the toes.
Innervation: deep peroneal nerve (LIV-SI).
Blood supply: lateral tarsal and peroneal arteries.
The short extensor of the big toe (m.extensor hallucis brevis) lies medial to the short extensor of the fingers. Begins on the upper surface of the calcaneus, in the anterior part of the calcaneus. The muscle moves forward and medially, passes into a tendon that attaches to the back surface of the base of the proximal phalange of the big toe.
Function: participates in the extension of the big toe.
Innervation: deep maloeboroidal nerve (LIV-SI).
Blood supply: the back artery of the foot.
Muscles of foot sole
In the region of the soles of the foot, the following groups of muscles are distinguished: the medial - from the side of the big toe, the lateral - from the side of the little finger, the middle one, occupying an intermediate position.
In contrast to the brush on the sole of the foot, the medial and lateral groups are represented by a smaller number of muscles, and the middle group is strengthened. In general, the sole of 14 short muscles. Three of them belong to the medial group (the muscle that removes the thumb of the foot, the short flexor of the big toe and the muscle that leads the thumb of the foot). Two muscles form a lateral group (a muscle that removes the little toe of the foot, and a short flexor of the little toe of the foot). The middle band on the sole is strengthened. It consists of 13 muscles. In addition to 4 wormlike and 7 interosseous muscles, it includes two more muscles - a short flexor of the fingers and a square muscle of the sole.
Medial group of foot soles
The muscle that removes the big toe (m.abductor hallucis) lies superficially along the medial edge of the foot. It begins with short tendon bundles on the medial surface of the calcaneus calcaneus, fleshy bundles on the lower retentive flexor tendon and plantar aponeurosis. The muscle is attached to the medial side of the base of the proximal phalange of the big toe.
Function: pulls the toe from the midline of the sole of the foot in the medial direction.
Innervation: medial plantar nerve (LV-SI).
Blood supply: medial plantar artery.
The short flexor of the big toe (m.flexor hallucis brevis) is adjacent to the lateral side to the previous muscle. It begins with a narrow tendon plate on the medial side of the plantar surface of the cuboid bone (behind the sulcus of the tendon of the long fibular muscle), on the first sphenoid bone and the plantar calcaneocuboid ligament. The muscle goes forward and divides into the medial and lateral parts, between which passes the tendon of the long flexor of the big toe.
Both parts of the muscle are attached to the base of the proximal phalanx and to the sesamoid bones on the sides of the first metatarsophalangeal joint. From the lateral side, the muscle is fused to the muscle that leads the thumb of the foot.
Function: flexes the thumb of the foot.
Innervation: the lateral part of the muscle is the lateral plantar nerve (SI-SII); the medial part is the medial plantar nerve (LV-SI).
Blood supply: medial plantar artery, plantar arch.
The muscle that leads the toe (m.adductor hallucis) lies deep, almost in the middle of the sole. It has two heads: oblique and transverse. The oblique head (caput obliquum) begins in a cube-shaped, lateral wedge-shaped, on the basis of II, III and IV metatarsal bones and on a long plantar ligament. The muscular abdomen is directed forward and medially, passes into a common tendon with the transverse head. The transverse head (caput transversum) forms a narrow flat muscular abdomen, which begins on the capsules of the metatarsophalangeal joints of the III-V fingers, runs transversely in the medial direction and joins with the oblique head. The tendon of the adductor muscle is attached to the base of the proximal phalange of the big toe and to the lateral sesamoid bone.
Function: brings the thumb to the midline of the foot, participates in flexing the thumb of the foot.
Innervation: lateral plantar nerve (SI-SII).
Blood supply: plantar metatarsal arteries, plantar arch.
Lateral group of foot soles
The muscle that removes the little finger of the foot (m.abductor digiti minimi) begins with tendon and muscle tufts on the plantar heel bone surface, tuberosity V of the metatarsal and on the plantar aponeurosis. The tendon of the muscle passes along the lateral edge of the foot and is attached to the lateral side of the proximal phalanx of the little finger.
Function: flexes the proximal phalanx of the little finger and withdraws it laterally.
Innervation: lateral plantar nerve (SI-SII.
Blood supply: lateral plantar artery.
The short flexor of the little toe of the foot (m.flexor digiti minimi brevis) starts on the medial side of the plantar surface of the metatarsal V, the vagina of the tendon of the long fibular muscle and on the long plantar ligament. The tendon of the muscle, lying more medially and deeper than the previous one, is attached to the base of the proximal phalanx of the little finger.
Function: flexes the little finger.
Innervation: lateral plantar nerve (SI-SII.
Blood supply: lateral plantar artery.
The muscle that opposes the little finger (m.opponens digiti minimi) is located on the lateral side of the short flexor of the little finger. Starts on a long plantar ligament. It is attached to the V metatarsal bone.
Function: is involved in strengthening the lateral longitudinal arch of the foot. The muscle is not constant.
Innervation: lateral plantar nerve (SI-SII).
Blood supply: lateral plantar artery.
Middle group of foot soles
The short flexor of the fingers (m.flexor digiti brevis) lies under the plantar aponeurosis. From the lateral side, the muscle is attached to the muscle that removes the little finger, and from the medial to the muscle that removes the thumb of the foot. Under the short flexor of the fingers are the square muscle of the soles and tendons of the long flexor of the fingers. A short flexor of the fingers begins on the anterior part of the plantar surface of the calcaneal tuber and on the plantar aponeurosis. From the flat muscular abdomen of this muscle four tendons, which attach to the middle phalanges of the II-V fingers, depart. Each of these tendons at the level of the proximal phalanx is split into two tufts. Through the gap between them passes the tendon of the long flexor of the fingers. Part of the bundles of tendons of the short flexor of the fingers is weaved directly into the fibrous cunt of the toes. These ratios of the tendons of the short flexor of the fingers to the tendons of the long flexor of the toes on the foot are similar to those of the tendon of the superficial and deep flexor of the fingers of the hand.
Function: bends II-V fingers; participates in strengthening the longitudinal arch of the foot.
Innervation: medial plantar nerve (LV-SI).
Blood supply: medial and lateral plantar arteries.
The square muscle of the sole, the additional flexor (m.quadratus plantae, smflexor accessorius) begins on the outer and medial sides of the lower surface of the calcaneus and on the long plantar ligament. The muscle moves forward and at the midpoint of the sole of the foot it is attached from the lateral side to the tendons of the long flexor of the fingers, directed towards the II-IV fingers.
Function: it participates in the bending of the toes of the foot, simultaneously giving the pull of the long flexor of the fingers a direct direction.
Innervation: lateral plantar nerve (SI-SII.
Blood supply: lateral plantar artery.
Wormlike muscles (mm.lumbricales); their 4, have a spindle-shaped shape. The laterally lying 3 muscles begin on the facing surfaces of the tendons of the long flexor of the fingers. The fourth, medially located muscle originates on the medial side of the contiguous tendon of the long flexor of the fingers. Each vermiform muscle extends into a thin tendon, which is attached from the medial side to the proximal phalanx of the corresponding finger (II-V). Part of the bundles of tendons of the vermiform muscles rounds the proximal phalanx and passes to the back of the fingers, weaving into the tendons of the long extensor of the toes.
Function: bends the proximal and unbends the middle and distal phalanges of the II-V fingers, taking them medially, toward the big toe.
Innervation: lateral and medial plantar nerves (LV-SI).
Blood supply: lateral and medial plantar arteries.
The interosseous muscles (m.Interossei) are located in the spaces between the metatarsal bones. These mshshy are divided into two groups: plantar interosseous and dorsal interosseous muscles.
Unlike the similar muscles located on the wrist, which are grouped on the sides of the middle finger, on the foot the interosseous muscles are concentrated on the sides of the II finger. This is due to the specifics of the function: grasping - the brush and the locomotor - the foot.
Plantar interosseous muscles (mm.interossei plantares); their 3, are located in the interosseous spaces from the sole. Each muscle begins on the basis of the medial surface of the III-V bodies of the metatarsal bone. Plantar muscles attach to the medial surface of the proximal phalanges of the III-V toes of the foot. A part of the bundles passes from the medial side to the dorsal surface of the corresponding finger and is weaved into the posterior aponeurosis.
Function: plantar interosseous muscles bring III-V fingers to the 2nd finger; bend the proximal phalanges of these fingers.
Innervation: lateral plantar nerve (SI-SII).
Blood supply: plantar metatarsal arteries, plantar arch.
Back interosseous muscles (mm.interossei dorsales); their 4, occupy the gaps between the metatarsal bones from the dorsal side. Each posterior interosseous muscle begins with two heads on the facing surfaces of adjacent metatarsal bones. The tendons of the muscles are attached to the base of the proximal phalanges and to the tendons of the long extensor of the fingers. The first interosseous muscle is attached to the medial side of the 2nd toe, the third to the lateral side of the II-IV fingers.
Function: the first rear interosseous muscle withdraws the second finger from the midline of the foot toward the thumb. The remaining 3 muscles (the second - the fourth) divert the II-IV fingers to the lateral side (close to the little finger). The posterior interosseous muscles flex the proximal phalanges of the II-IV fingers.
Innervation: lateral plantar nerve (SI-SII).
Blood supply: plantar metatarsal arteries, plantar arch.
The movements of the toes (unlike the fingers of the hand) are possible in small limits, mainly around the front axis (flexion-extension). The thumb of the foot has a slightly greater mobility than the other toes of the foot.
The thumb is bent: the long and short extensors of the big toe.
Lead the thumb: the muscle that leads the thumb of the foot.
The thumb is removed: the muscle that removes the big toe.
The II-V toes are flexed with a long and short flexor of the toes. Unbend these fingers long and short extensors of toes.