How is the plantar arch formed?
The plantar arch is formed by the anastomosis of:
- Lateral plantar artery (a. plantaris lateralis) — a branch of the posterior tibial artery (a. tibialis posterior).
- Deep plantar branch — from the dorsal artery of the foot (a. dorsalis pedis), which perforates the first intermetatarsal space.
The deep plantar arch (arcus plantaris profundus) is formed primarily by the lateral plantar artery. The plantar venous arch (arcus venosus plantaris) accompanies the arterial arch.
Topography and Neighboring Structures
In the deep layer of the sole of the foot, the deep branch of the lateral plantar nerve (r. profundus n. plantaris lateralis) runs alongside the deep plantar arch.
Also located in this region are:
- Muscles: square muscle of the sole (m. quadratus plantae), short flexor of the toes (m. flexor digitorum brevis), oblique and transverse heads of the adductor hallucis muscle (m. adductor hallucis).
- Tendons: tendon of the fibularis brevis muscle (tendo m. fibularis brevis), tendon of the fibularis longus muscle (tendo m. fibularis longus), tendon of the long flexor of the toes (tendo m. flexoris digitorum longi).
What branches does it give off?
Distally, the arches give off:
- Plantar metatarsal arteries and veins (aa. et vv. metatarsales plantares).
- Common plantar digital arteries (aa. digitales plantares communes) — continuation of the metatarsal arteries.
- Proper plantar digital arteries and veins (aa. digitales plantares propriae et vv. digitales plantares) — supply the toes.
Blood Supply to Muscles
The arch and its branches supply the following foot muscles:
- Plantar interosseous muscles (mm. interossei plantares) — 3 muscles; adduct digits III–V toward the axis of digit II.
- Dorsal interosseous muscles (mm. interossei dorsales) — 4 bipennate muscles; abduct digits II–IV away from the axis of digit II.
- Lumbrical muscles (mm. lumbricales) — 4 muscles; flex the metatarsophalangeal joints of digits II–V and extend the interphalangeal joints.
- Abductor hallucis muscle (m. abductor hallucis).
- Adductor hallucis muscle (m. adductor hallucis).