Plantar interossei muscles

In human anatomy, plantar interossei muscles are three muscles located between the metatarsal bones in the foot.

Plantar interossei muscles
The Interossei plantares. Left foot.
Details
OriginMetatarsals, long plantar ligament
InsertionMedial side of Proximal phalanges of 3rd to 5th toe
ArteryPlantar Artery, and Dorsal Metatarsal A
NerveLateral plantar nerve
Actionsadduct toes
AntagonistDorsal interossei of the foot
Identifiers
LatinMusculi interossei plantares
TAA04.7.02.071
FMA37458
Anatomical terms of muscle

Structure

The three plantar interosseous muscles are unipennate, as opposed to the bipennate structure of dorsal interosseous muscles, and originate on a single metatarsal bone. The three muscles originate on the medial aspect of metatarsals III-V. The muscles cross the metatarsophalangeal joint of toes III-V so the insertions correspond with the origin and there is no crossing between toes.[1]

The muscles then continue distally along the foot and insert in the proximal phalanges III-V. The muscles cross the metatarsophalangeal joint of toes III-V so the insertions correspond with the origin and there is no crossing between toes.[1]

Innervation

All three plantar interosseous muscles are innervated by the lateral plantar nerve. The lateral plantar nerve is a branch from the tibial nerve, which originally branches off the sciatic nerve from the sacral plexus.[1]

Function

Since the intersseous muscles cross on the metatarsophalangeal joint, then they act on that specific joint and cause adduction of toes III, IV, and V.[1]

Adduction itself is not of extreme importance to the toes, but these muscles work together with the dorsal interosseous muscles in flexion of the foot. They also work together to strengthen the metatarsal arch.[2]

Additional images
  • Bones of the right foot. Plantar surface.
  • Muscles of the sole of the foot.

See also
This article uses anatomical terminology. For an overview, see Anatomical terminology.

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 495 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

  1. Saladin, Kenneth (2012). Anatomy & Physiology: The Unity of Form and Function. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. pp. 372–372, 498–499. ISBN 978-0-07-131638-5.
  2. O'Rahilly, Ronan. "Basic Human Anatomy". Dartmouth. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
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