Dominic Stone
The human leg is made up of a complex system of muscles that enable the movement of feet and toes. The muscles in the leg that move the toes can be divided into two groups: extrinsic and intrinsic muscles. The extrinsic muscles are located in the anterior, lateral, and posterior compartments of the leg. The anterior compartment includes the tibialis anterior, extensor hallucis longus, and extensor digitorum longus muscles, which extend the toes. The lateral compartment contains the peroneus longus and peroneus brevis muscles, which aid in eversion and plantarflexion of the foot. The posterior compartment is home to the gastrocnemius, soleus, and plantaris muscles. The intrinsic muscles, on the other hand, are located within the foot and are responsible for fine motor actions such as moving individual toes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Toe Movement | Extension of the great toe, flexion of the lateral four toes, abduction and flexion of the big toe, adduction of the big toe, flexion of the toes, extension of toes 2-4, abduction and flexion of the little toe, extension of the toes (other than the big toe) |
| Muscles Involved | Extensor hallucis brevis, flexor hallucis brevis, abductor hallucis, adductor hallucis, flexor digitorum longus, lumbricals, flexor digitorum brevis, quadratus plantae, flexor digiti minimi, abductor digiti minimi, extensor digitorum brevis, dorsal interossei, plantar interossei, fibularis tertius, fibularis brevis, flexor hallucis longus, tibialis posterior, tibialis anterior, extensor digitorum longus, peroneus tertius, peroneus longus, peroneus brevis, gastrocnemius, soleus, plantaris |
| Muscle Groups | Intrinsic, extrinsic, plantar, dorsal, medial, lateral |
| Innervation | Deep fibular nerve, medial plantar nerve, lateral plantar nerve, tibial nerve |
| Muscle Layers | First layer, second layer, third layer, four layers |
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What You'll Learn
Intrinsic and extrinsic muscles
The muscles that move the toes can be divided into two groups: intrinsic and extrinsic muscles. The foot has 20 intrinsic muscles, which are located within the foot and are responsible for fine motor actions, such as the movement of individual digits. They can be further divided into two groups: those situated on the dorsum (top) of the foot and those in the sole of the foot.
The two intrinsic muscles located within the dorsum of the foot are the extensor digitorum brevis and extensor hallucis brevis. They assist the extrinsic muscles in extending the toes and are innervated by the deep fibular nerve. The extensor digitorum brevis is a small, thin muscle that lies underneath the long extensor tendons of the foot. The extensor hallucis brevis aids in extending the big toe.
There are ten intrinsic muscles located in the sole of the foot, which act collectively to stabilise the arches of the foot and individually to control the movement of the digits. They are innervated by the medial or lateral plantar nerves, which are branches of the tibial nerve. The muscles of the plantar aspect are arranged in four layers. The first layer contains three muscles and is located immediately underneath the plantar fascia. The abductor hallucis muscle is located on the medial side of the sole, where it contributes to a small soft tissue bulge. It originates from the medial tubercle of the calcaneus, the flexor retinaculum, and the plantar aponeurosis. The flexor hallucis brevis and adductor hallucis are associated with movements of the big toe. The remaining muscle, the flexor digiti minimi brevis, moves the little toe.
The extrinsic muscles originate in the lower leg and insert into different portions of the foot to allow for gross motor movements. They include muscles such as the anterior tibialis, extensor hallucis longus, extensor digitorum longus, peroneus tertius, peroneus longus, peroneus brevis, gastrocnemius, soleus, plantaris, and posterior tibialis.
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Extension of the big toe
The extension of the big toe is a crucial movement for balance and forward motion. The big toe, also known as the hallux, is extended by the extensor hallucis brevis muscle on the top of the foot. This muscle assists the extrinsic muscles of the foot in extending the toes and is innervated by the deep fibular nerve. Additionally, the extensor hallucis longus (EHL) muscle, located in the anterior compartment of the lower leg, is responsible for extending the big toe at both the metatarsophalangeal and interphalangeal joints.
The EHL plays a significant role in locomotion, as it helps control the descent of the medial portion of the foot, particularly the great toe. Weakness in the EHL can lead to difficulties in pulling on socks or shoes and may cause tripping. It is important to maintain adequate strength and flexibility in the big toe extensor muscles to ensure effective locomotion and balance.
The flexor hallucis brevis muscle, located on the medial side of the foot, flexes the big toe. The abductor hallucis muscle, situated on the medial side of the sole, abducts and flexes the big toe. It originates from the medial tubercle of the calcaneus, the flexor retinaculum, and the plantar aponeurosis. The adductor hallucis muscle is located laterally to the flexor hallucis brevis and is responsible for adducting the big toe and maintaining the arch of the foot.
The intrinsic muscles of the foot are responsible for the fine motor actions of the foot, such as the movement of individual digits. There are two intrinsic muscles located within the dorsum of the foot—the extensor digitorum brevis and extensor hallucis brevis. The extrinsic muscles, on the other hand, are located in the anterior and lateral compartments of the leg. These muscles work together to facilitate the extension of the big toe and maintain balance during locomotion.
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Flexing the toes
The movement of the toes requires the action of many muscles. The toes are divided into the big toe (also known as the hallux or large toe) and the other four toes. The muscles that move the toes can be divided into two groups: extrinsic and intrinsic muscles.
Flexing the Big Toe
The big toe can be flexed by the flexor hallucis brevis, flexor hallucis longus, and abductor hallucis muscles. The flexor hallucis brevis is located on the medial side of the foot. The abductor hallucis is located on the medial side of the sole and also abducts the big toe. The flexor hallucis longus is larger than the flexor digitorum longus.
Flexing the Other Four Toes
The flexor digitorum longus flexes the second through fifth toes, pointing them downward. The lumbricals are four small skeletal muscles that also flex the lateral four toes. The flexor digitorum brevis and quadratus plantae are also involved in flexing the toes. The quadratus plantae is located superior to the flexor digitorum longus tendons.
Other Muscles Involved in Toe Movement
The extensor digitorum brevis is an intrinsic muscle located within the dorsum of the foot that assists in extending toes 2-4. The extensor hallucis brevis is another intrinsic muscle that aids in extending the big toe. The abductor digiti minimi abducts and flexes the little toe. The dorsal interossei abducts digits 2-4 and flexes those toes.
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Muscles in the plantar aspect
The muscles in the plantar aspect, or sole of the foot, are essential for stabilising the arches of the foot and controlling the movement of the toes. There are ten intrinsic muscles in the plantar aspect, which are arranged in four layers.
The first layer, which is the most superficial, contains three muscles: the abductor hallucis, the flexor digitorum brevis, and the abductor digiti minimi. The abductor hallucis is located on the medial side of the sole, where it contributes to a small soft tissue bulge. It originates from the medial tubercle of the calcaneus, the flexor retinaculum, and the plantar aponeurosis, and attaches to the base of the big toe. This muscle abducts and flexes the big toe. The flexor digitorum brevis flexes the lateral four toes. The abductor digiti minimi is located on the lateral side of the foot and abducts and flexes the little toe.
The second layer contains three muscles: the lumbricals, the flexor hallucis brevis, and the adductor hallucis. The lumbricals are four small skeletal muscles, accessory to the tendons of the flexor digitorum longus. They originate from the tendons of the flexor digitorum longus and attach to the toes. The flexor hallucis brevis is located on the medial side of the foot and flexes the big toe. The adductor hallucis is located laterally to the flexor hallucis brevis. It originates from the bases of the first four metatarsals and the plantar ligaments and attaches to the big toe. This muscle adducts the big toe and maintains the arch of the foot.
The third layer contains the quadratus plantae. This muscle is located superior to the flexor digitorum longus tendons and assists the flexor digitorum longus in flexing the lateral four toes.
The fourth layer contains the plantar interossei. These three muscles lie beneath the metatarsal bones and are each connected with one metatarsal bone. They originate from the medial side of metatarsals three to five and attach to the medial sides of the phalanges of digits three to five.
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Muscles in the dorsal aspect
The muscles in the human leg facilitate the movement of the feet and toes. The muscles are divided into anterior, lateral, and posterior compartments, each with a unique set of muscles. The anterior compartment includes muscles that contribute to the dorsiflexion of the foot, such as the tibialis anterior, extensor hallucis longus, and extensor digitorum longus muscles. The extensor digitorum longus is responsible for extending toes two to four, while the extensor hallucis longus extends the big toe.
The extensor digitorum brevis and extensor hallucis brevis are two intrinsic muscles located within the dorsum of the foot. They assist the extrinsic muscles of the foot in extending the toes. The extensor digitorum brevis is a small, thin muscle that lies underneath the long extensor tendons of the foot.
The abductor hallucis muscle is located on the medial side of the sole, where it contributes to a small soft tissue bulge. It abducts and flexes the big toe. The adductor hallucis, located laterally to the flexor hallucis brevis, adducts the big toe and maintains the arch of the foot.
The flexor hallucis brevis muscle is located on the medial side of the foot and flexes the big toe. The flexor digitorum longus flexes the second through fifth toes and points them downward. The flexor digitorum brevis is also responsible for flexing the toes.
The lumbricals are four small skeletal muscles that originate from the tendons of the flexor digitorum longus. They attach to the toes and flex at the metatarsophalangeal joints while extending the interphalangeal joints.
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Frequently asked questions
The muscles acting on the foot can be divided into two groups: extrinsic and intrinsic muscles. The extrinsic muscles are located in the anterior and lateral compartments of the leg, whereas the intrinsic muscles are located within the foot and are responsible for the fine motor actions of the foot, such as the movement of individual digits.
The muscles involved in moving the big toe include the extensor hallucis brevis, flexor hallucis brevis, abductor hallucis, adductor hallucis, and flexor hallucis longus.
The muscles involved in moving the little toe include the flexor digiti minimi, abductor digiti minimi, and flexor digitorum longus.
Yes, the fibularis tertius muscle helps move the foot from side to side at the ankle joint.
