Intrinsic Dorsal Foot Muscles

Authors

Affiliations

Nate Yomogida, B.S., SPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy

B.S. in Kinesiology

Chloë Kerstein, B.S., SPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy

B.A. in Neuroscience

Schematic of 1st layer of Plantar Intrinsic Foot Muscles¹
1: Abductor hallucis
2: Flexor digitorum brevis
Abductor digiti minimi

Schematic of 2nd layer of Plantar Intrinsic Foot Muscles¹
1: Quadratus Plantae
2: Lumbricals
3: Flexor Hallucis Brevis
4: Adductor hallucis
5: Flexor digiti minimi
6: Opponens digiti minimi
7: Plantar interossei
8: Dorsal Interossei

Schematic of 3rd layer of Plantar Intrinsic Foot Muscles¹
1: Quadratus Plantae
2: Lumbricals
3: Flexor Hallucis Brevis
4: Adductor hallucis
5: Flexor digiti minimi
6: Opponens digiti minimi
7: Plantar interossei
8: Dorsal Interossei

Schematic of 4th layer of Plantar Intrinsic Foot Muscles
1: Quadratus Plantae¹
2: Lumbricals
3: Flexor Hallucis Brevis
4: Adductor hallucis
5: Flexor digiti minimi
6: Opponens digiti minimi
7: Plantar interossei
8: Dorsal Interossei

1st Layer Intrinsic Plantar Foot Muscles¹

2nd and 4th Layers of Intrinsic Plantar Foot Muscles¹

3rd Layer of Intrinsic Plantar Foot Muscles¹

1st Layer

Muscle	Origin	Insertion	Innervation	Action
Abductor hallucis	Medial calcaneal tuberosity Plantar aponeurosis Flexor retinaculum	Medial aspect of 1st Proximal phalanx	Medial Plantar n. S1 - S2	1st Toe: MTP Flexion, MTP Abduction Arch support: Longitudinal arch support
Abductor digiti minimi	Medial tubercle of calcaneal tuberosity Cuboid Lateral cuneiforms 3-5th MTP joints Deep transverse metatarsal lig.	Base of 5th proximal phalanx Base of 1st proximal phalanx (via common tendon)	Lateral Plantar n. Lateral Plantar n. (Deep branch) S1 - S3	5th Toe: MTP Flexion 1st MTP: Flexion, Adduction Arch Support: *Transverse head* supports transverse arch, *Oblique head* supports longitudinal arch
Flexor digitorum brevis	Medial tubercle of calcaneal tuberosity Plantar aponeurosis	Sides of middle phalanx 2-5	Medial Plantar n. S1 - S2	2nd-5th Toe: MTP Flexion, PIP Flexion Arch support: Longitudinal arch support

2nd Layer

Muscle	Origin	Insertion	Nerve	Action
Quadratus Plantae	/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Ankle and Foot/Intrinsic Dorsal Foot Muscles/quadratus_plantae.html#origin	/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Ankle and Foot/Intrinsic Dorsal Foot Muscles/quadratus_plantae.html#insertion	?var:ref-quadratus-plantae.nerve	/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Ankle and Foot/Intrinsic Dorsal Foot Muscles/quadratus_plantae.html#action
Lumbricals	?var:ref-foot-lumbricals.origin	?var:ref-foot-lumbricals.insertion	?var:ref-foot-lumbricals.nerve	?var:ref-foot-lumbricals.action

Muscle	Origin	Insertion	Innervation	Action
Abductor digiti minimi	Medial tubercle of calcaneal tuberosity Cuboid Lateral cuneiforms 3-5th MTP joints Deep transverse metatarsal lig.	Base of 5th proximal phalanx Base of 1st proximal phalanx (via common tendon)	Lateral Plantar n. Lateral Plantar n. (Deep branch) S1 - S3	5th Toe: MTP Flexion 1st MTP: Flexion, Adduction Arch Support: *Transverse head* supports transverse arch, *Oblique head* supports longitudinal arch
Dorsal interossei (4 muscles)	1-5 metatarsals (two heads on opposing sides)	Medial aspect of 2nd proximal phalanx base Lateral aspect of 2nd-4th proximal phalanx bases 2-4 Toes at Dorsal aponeurosis	Lateral plantar n. S2 - S3	2nd-4th Toes: MTP Flexion, MTP 3-4 abduction, PIP Extension, DIP Extension
Flexor digiti minimi brevis (foot)	Base of 5th Metatarsal Long plantar lig.	Base of 5th proximal phalanx	Lateral Plantar n. (superficial branch) S2 - S3	5th MTP Flexion
Flexor hallucis brevis	Cuboid Lateral cuneiforms Plantar calcaneocuboid lig.	Medial Sesamoid bone Lateral Sesamoid bone	Lateral Plantar n. Medial Plantar n. S1 - S2	MTP Flexion Supports Longitudinal Arch
Lumbricals (Foot)	FDL tendons (medial borders)	2-5th toes at dorsal aponeurosis	Medial Plantar n. Lateral Plantar n. S2 - S3	2nd-5th Toes: MTP Flexion, PIP Extension, DIP Extension
Opponens digiti minimi	Long plantar lig. *Fibularis longus* plantar tendon sheath	5th metatarsal	Lateral Plantar n. (superficial branch) S2 - S3	Pulls 5th metatarsal in plantar and medial direction
Plantar interossei (3 muscles)	Medial border of 3rd-5th metatarsals	Medial aspect of 3rd-5th proximal phalanx	Lateral plantar n. S2 - S3	3rd-5th Toes: MTP Flexion, MTP Adduction, PIP Extension, DIP Extension
Quadratus plantae	Calcaneal tuberosity (medial and plantar borders)	Tendons of FDL (lateral borders)	Lateral Plantar n. S1 - S3	Redirects and augments pull of the FDL

3rd Layer

Muscle	Origin	Insertion	Nerve	Action
Flexor Hallucis Brevis	/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Ankle and Foot/Intrinsic Dorsal Foot Muscles/flexor_hallucis_brevis.html#origin	/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Ankle and Foot/Intrinsic Dorsal Foot Muscles/flexor_hallucis_brevis.html#insertion	?var:ref-flexor-hallucis-brevis.nerve	/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Ankle and Foot/Intrinsic Dorsal Foot Muscles/flexor_hallucis_brevis.html#action
Adductor Hallucis	/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Ankle and Foot/Intrinsic Dorsal Foot Muscles/adductor_hallucis.html#origin	/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Ankle and Foot/Intrinsic Dorsal Foot Muscles/adductor_hallucis.html#insertion	?var:ref-adductor-hallucis.nerve	/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Ankle and Foot/Intrinsic Dorsal Foot Muscles/adductor_hallucis.html#action
Flexor Digiti Minimi Brevis (Foot)	/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Ankle and Foot/Intrinsic Dorsal Foot Muscles/flexor_digiti_minimi_brevis_foot.html#origin	/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Ankle and Foot/Intrinsic Dorsal Foot Muscles/flexor_digiti_minimi_brevis_foot.html#insertion	?var:ref-flexor-digiti-minimi-brevis-foot.nerve	/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Ankle and Foot/Intrinsic Dorsal Foot Muscles/flexor_digiti_minimi_brevis_foot.html#action
Opponens Digiti Minimi	/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Ankle and Foot/Intrinsic Dorsal Foot Muscles/opponens_digiti_minimi_foot.html#origin	/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Ankle and Foot/Intrinsic Dorsal Foot Muscles/opponens_digiti_minimi_foot.html#insertion	?var:ref-opponens-digiti-minimi-foot.nerve	/The Archive/Anatomy/Skeletal Muscles/Lower limb muscles/Ankle and Foot/Intrinsic Dorsal Foot Muscles/opponens_digiti_minimi_foot.html#action

4th Layer

Muscle	Origin	Insertion	Nerve	Action
Plantar Interossei	?var:ref-plantar-interossei.origin	?var:ref-plantar-interossei.insertion	?var:ref-plantar-interossei.nerve	?var:ref-plantar-interossei.action
Dorsal Interossei	?var:ref-dorsal-interossei.origin	?var:ref-dorsal-interossei.insertion	?var:ref-dorsal-interossei.nerve	?var:ref-dorsal-interossei.action

References

1.

Gilroy AM, MacPherson BR, Wikenheiser JC, Voll MM, Wesker K, Schünke M, eds. Atlas of Anatomy. 4th ed. Thieme; 2020.