Mobility of the foot is provided by different muscles, including the short extensor of the big toe, as well as other short and long muscles. The short muscles do not leave the area of ​​the foot itself and are attached within it. The long muscles have their base in the lower leg and are attached to the foot. Thanks to the short and long muscles, extension of both the big and other toes occurs. The foot performs an important shock-absorbing and stabilizing function. The main movements that the foot makes are flexion and extension.

Anatomy of the foot

The muscles of the foot are divided according to their position into dorsal (or dorsal) and plantar. In addition, they can be lateral and medial. If we draw a conditional midline through the human body, then those areas that are closer to this line are called medial. The areas located closer to the outer edge are called lateral. The human foot can move in many directions. The following types of limb movement are distinguished:

• flexion/extension;
• abduction/adduction;
• pronation/supination.

The phalanges of the toes are also quite mobile. This is necessary to perform a stabilizing function and maintain balance. Their mobility is provided by the short extensor digitorum and a separate muscle related to the thumb. The extensor digitorum brevis muscle is a fairly broad and flat muscle that runs along the entire outer area of ​​the foot. It is attached to calcaneus, then moves to the phalangeal region, where it branches into 3 tendons. In the upper part, these tendons unite with the extensor tendon of the thumb and are attached to the phalanges. This muscle is fed by the tibial artery, and innervation is provided by the peroneal nerve.

The plantar side has its own muscles, thanks to which the movement of the phalanges and the foot as a whole becomes possible. These include the muscles that abduct and flex the phalanges of the legs, as well as the lumbrical and quadratus muscles.

Long muscles of the feet

The muscles involved in flexion and extension of the phalanges can also be long. At one end they are attached to the bones of the lower leg, and at the other to the phalanges of the legs. The flexor digitorum longus attaches to the tibia. Uniting with the quadratus muscle, the flexor longus is divided into 4 tendons, which are attached directly to the phalanges. Due to the fact that the flexor digitorum longus is attached to four phalanges at the same time, not only flexion movements become possible, but also movement in different directions.

There is also a separate muscle that is responsible for flexion thumbs on the leg. The flexor hallucis longus is attached at one end to the lower portion of the fibula and at the other end to the base of the big toe. The flexor hallucis longus muscle is the most powerful muscle on the back of the leg. In addition to ensuring the movement of the phalanx, it is needed to support the arch of the foot. The flexor digitorum longus is also necessary to bend the second and third phalanges, since its tendon is partially associated with the tendons of these fingers. In addition to flexion and extension of the foot, the flexor pollicis longus muscle is also needed for supination and adduction.

Long muscles are responsible for extending the phalanges of the legs. The extensor digitorum longus muscle is located on the outer side of the leg and is attached to a bone called the tibia. Then the extensor digitorum longus stretches along the shin and in the foot diverges into 5 branches, which are attached to the phalanges with the help of tendons. The extensor digitorum longus is involved not only in their extension, but also in extension of the limb.

Extensor hallucis longus

The extensor hallucis longus originates at the bottom of the fibula. It is attached to the base of the bones of the thumbs. The extensor pollicis longus is necessary not only for its movement, but also for the mobility of the limb.

The extensor pollicis longus also provides supination and circular movements feet

How to strengthen your feet

Strengthening these structures is important for our health. There is such a thing as a “leg core”. It includes small muscles, which are necessary to stabilize the entire body. Thanks to them, shocks when running and walking are softened, and a stable body position is maintained. If these muscles are weakened, then the entire load will be distributed on the plantar fascia, which can lead to the development of plantar fasciitis. Moreover, a weak ligamentous-muscular system leads to a gradual change in gait, which can cause problems with the knees, hip joints and even with the spine.

To strengthen your feet, there are simple exercises you can do at home.

The positive effect of such home exercises occurs after 3-4 months. The main thing is not the duration of the exercises, but their regularity. After a few months, the muscles of the feet will become stronger and the arch will rise. Blood circulation will also improve and the sensitivity of the foot will increase, which is extremely important for developing stability.

Walk barefoot on grass, sand and pebbles more often, after making sure there are no foreign objects.

You need to pay special attention to the health of your feet. Fatigue and heaviness in the legs are perhaps the first signs that something is wrong with the legs. To prevent the development of many unpleasant diseases, it is necessary to adhere to some preventive recommendations.

1. Avoid the “wrong” shoes. Start by throwing away your slippers. If you don't feel comfortable being barefoot, you can buy thick sports socks. When choosing shoes for everyday wear, pay attention to the quality of the shoes and the manufacturer. Make sure that it has a fairly dense (but not “wooden” backdrop). It’s good if the insoles in shoes have special instep supports or inserts.
2. If you have extra pounds, you will have to get rid of them. The point is that overweight creates an additional and constant load on the feet, as a result of which they seem to “creep apart” and sag. This can cause the development of flat feet.
3. To strengthen the muscles of the lower leg and feet, use a jump rope. If you have no contraindications, jumping rope will not only help make your muscles stronger, but will also increase the overall endurance of the body. In addition, when jumping, plaques on the walls of blood vessels are destroyed, which has an additional positive effect.
4. Engage in general strengthening of the body. For this purpose, hardening, sunbathing and walking on grass or sand barefoot are suitable. Don't forget about reception vitamin complexes, especially in the autumn-winter period.

The combination of simple exercises and recommendations has a significant positive effect on the entire body. Do not neglect these recommendations and remember that regularity and consistency in their implementation are the key to your health.

Injuries to the flexor tendon of the big toe are a common type of injury in risk groups such as dancers (primarily ballet dancers), gymnasts and rock climbers. These groups of people are united by a significant overload of the flexor of the big toe when performing pushes and hooks, and standing on pointe shoes. The second name for this pathology is “dancer’s tendinitis.” In the rest of the population, these lesions are extremely rare. Since the tendon of the flexor pollicis longus passes in the fibro-osseous canal behind the medial malleolus and ankle joint, it appears to be thrown over the posterior process of the talus, like a rope thrown over a pulley.

With his chronic traumatization degenerative changes lead to its thickening and compaction, causing its compression and pinching. So-called posterior ankle impingement may occur. If nodules appear in the thickness of the tendon, a symptom such as a “trigger finger” may appear, when the bent thumb “snaps”, and it can only be straightened through pain and by applying significant force. With a long-term process, cicatricial fusion of the tendon with its canal is possible, which leads to pseudo-rigid deformation of the first metatarsophalangeal joint.

Symptoms of injury to the flexor hallucis longus tendon.

First of all, it is pain along the posterior-inner surface of the ankle joint. It is possible that the thumb may “snap” when it is bent. Crunching, crepitus along the posterior-inner surface of the ankle joint during active movements. On physical examination, pain is detected when the big toe is flexed against resistance, with forced plantar flexion in the ankle joint, while there is no pain in the area of ​​the first metatarsophalangeal joint. To diagnose damage to the flexor hallucis longus tendon, it is advisable to perform an MRI, which will reveal an accumulation of fluid around the tendon at the level of the ankle joint and a change in the signal from the tendon itself.

Differential diagnosis of tendinitis of the flexor hallucis longus tendon is carried out with tendonitis of the peroneal muscles, fracture of the posterior process of the talus, posterior talocalcaneal coalition, osteoid osteoma of the talus and calcaneus.

With ruptures of the flexor hallucis longus tendon, in addition to acute pain and swelling along the posterior-inner surface of the ankle joint, severe weakness of the plantar flexion of the big toe is determined.

Treatment of injuries to the flexor hallucis longus.

For acute ruptures, emergency treatment is indicated surgical repair tendon integrity in a group of professional athletes and dancers. For the average person, surgical treatment is recommended only in case of damage to the tendons of both the short and long flexor of the big toe.

In case of tendonitis of the flexor pollicis tendon, it is recommended conservative treatment- rest, local cold, physiotherapy, stretch exercises. In addition, it is recommended to change the approach to training, pay more attention to warming up and stretching, wearing insoles and shoes with good arch support.

If these measures are ineffective for 3 months, the question arises about surgical treatment. The tendon is released, freed from adhesions, degenerated areas are removed, and synovectomy is performed. If an accessory triangular bone is identified, it is advisable to remove it.

Surgery technique for flexor hallucis longus tendinitis.

For good visualization, the use of a tourniquet is recommended. A semicircular incision is made parallel to the posterior edge of the inner ankle. It is necessary to carefully isolate the neurovascular bundle and take it on a holder. Access to the tendon canal can be done both anteriorly and posteriorly in relation to the bundle. At this stage, it is possible to isolate the tendon; after careful examination and palpation, all nodes and adhesions are removed. If a triangular bone is found, it must be removed.

Removing the triangular bone significantly lengthens the rehabilitation period. After isolated tenolysis of the flexor pollicis longus tendon, weight bearing and walking are resolved immediately as they subside pain syndrome. After removal of the triangular bone, up to 8-12 weeks of non-weight-bearing walking may be required.

It's full of small muscles like finger extensors and large ones like the soleus muscle.

We will not analyze all the muscles in detail. Let us dwell only on the most basic, most noticeable ones.

Calf muscles front view :

1 - peroneus longus muscle;
2 - medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle;
3 - tibialis anterior muscle;
4 - soleus muscle;
5 - short peroneus muscle;
6 - extensor digitorum longus;
7 - superior extensor retinaculum;
8 - tendon of the anterior tibialis muscle;
9 - lower extensor retinaculum

Front group

(m. tibialis anterior) extends and adducts the foot, raising its medial edge. A long, narrow, superficial muscle whose origin is located on the lateral condyle of the tibia and the interosseous membrane.

The attachment site is located on the plantar surface of the medial sphenoid bone and on the base of the first metatarsal bone. The subtendinous bursa of the tibialis anterior muscle is also located here (bursa subtendinea m. tibialis anterioris).

The long extensor digitorum (m. extensor digitorum longus) extends the II–V fingers, as well as the foot, lifting its lateral (outer) edge together with the third peroneal muscle. The muscle begins from the upper epiphysis of the tibia, the head and anterior edge of the fibula and the interosseous membrane. The muscle passes into a long, narrow tendon, which divides into five thin individual tendons. Four of them are attached to the back of the II–IV fingers in such a way that the middle bundles of tendons are attached to the base of the middle phalanx, and the lateral bundles to the base of the distal phalanx. The fifth tendon attaches to the base of the fifth metatarsal bone.

1 - articular muscle of the knee;
2 — quadratus muscle hips;
3 - short peroneus muscle;
4 - long extensor of the big toe;
5 - short extensor of the big toe;
6 - tendon of the long extensor of the big toe;
7 - extensor digitorum brevis

The long extensor hallucis longus (m. extensor hallucis longus) extends the big toe, as well as the foot itself, raising its medial edge. Partially covered by the two previous muscles, located between them. Its point of origin is the lower part of the medial surface of the body of the fibula, and the point of attachment is the base of the distal phalanx. Part of the tendon bundles fuses with the base of the proximal phalanx.

Lateral group

The long peroneus muscle (m. peroneus longus) abducts and flexes the foot, lowering its medial edge. Located on the lateral surface of the lower leg. The muscle begins from the head and upper part of the body of the fibula and is attached to the medial sphenoid bone and the base of the I–II metatarsal bones.

Calf muscles (back view):

1 - plantaris muscle;
2 - gastrocnemius muscle: a) medial head, b) lateral head;
3 - soleus muscle;
4 - fascia of the leg;
5 - tendon of the posterior tibial muscle;

7 - flexor digitorum longus tendon;
8 - calcaneal tendon (Achilles tendon)

Back group

The posterior group includes two muscle groups.

Surface layer

Triceps surae muscle(m. triceps surae) bends the lower leg at the knee joint, bends and rotates the foot outward. When the foot is in a fixed position, the lower leg and thigh are pulled posteriorly. The muscle consists of the superficial gastrocnemius muscle and the deep soleus muscle. (m. gastrocnemius) has two heads. The medial head (caput mediale) starts from the medial epicondyle femur, and the lateral head (caput laterale) - from the lateral epicondyle. Both heads are connected into a common tendon and attached to the calcaneal tubercle.

(m. soleus) covered calf muscle, starts from the head and upper third of the posterior surface of the body of the fibula and from the line of the soleus muscle of the tibia. The muscle is attached to the calcaneal tubercle, fused with the tendon of the gastrocnemius muscle. The common tendon in the lower third of the leg forms the calcaneal tendon (tendo calcaneus), the so-called Achilles tendon. The mucous bursa of the heel tendon (bursa tendinis calcanei) is also located here.

Plantaris muscle(m. plantaris) stretches the capsule knee joint when bending and rotating the lower leg. The muscle is rudimentary and unstable, has a spindle-shaped shape. Its point of origin is located on the lateral condyle of the femur and the bursa of the knee joint, and its attachment point is on the calcaneus.

1 - popliteus muscle;
2 - short peroneus muscle;
3 - tibialis posterior muscle;
4 - short flexor of the big toe;
5 - short flexor of the little toe;
6 - flexor digitorum longus tendon;
7 - interosseous muscles

Deep layer

Hamstring muscle(m. popliteus) bends the lower leg, rotating it inward and pulling the capsule of the knee joint. A short flat muscle, located on the posterior surface of the knee joint capsule, starts from it and from the lateral condyle of the femur, and is attached to the posterior surface of the body of the tibia.

Flexor digitorum longus(m. flexor digitorum longus) bends the distal phalanges of the II–V fingers and takes part in the outward rotation of the foot, raising its medial edge. It is located on the posterior surface of the tibia, starting from the middle third of the posterior surface of the body of the tibia and from the deep sheet of the fascia of the leg. The muscle tendon is divided into four tendons, which are attached to the base of the distal phalanges of the II–V fingers.

Flexor pollicis longus(m. flexor hallucis longus) flexes the big toe, takes part in the flexion of fingers II–V thanks to fibrous bundles, which are a continuation of the tendon, and also flexes and rotates the foot.

The muscle starts from the lower two-thirds of the posterior surface of the body of the fibula and from the interosseous membrane, and is attached to the base of the distal phalanx of the thumb.

(m. tibialis posterior) flexes and adducts the foot, rotating it outward. It is located on the interosseous membrane between the two previous muscles and is partially covered by the flexor pollicis longus. Its point of origin is on the posterior surfaces of the bodies of the tibia and fibula, and the place of attachment is on sphenoid bones foot and tuberosity of the navicular bone.

Flexor digitorum longus
Flexor of the foot

Long flexors fingers and feet and stress points
Left: flexor digitorum longus
Right; flexor longus

LONG FLEXORS flex all toes and feet together, helping to maintain balance as the weight of the body is transferred to the forefoot. In addition, they secure the ankles while walking and are activated during upward jumps.

Stress points are caused by running on uneven and soft surfaces and by poor shoes that do not provide enough support to the foot and ankle. Hard shoes can also cause them. Since both muscles run deep, they are difficult to feel.

Flexor digitorum longus attached at one end at the back tibia, runs deep under the gastrocnemius and solitary muscles along the entire length of the tibia on the back side, crosses the talus and is attached at the other ends on the underside of the foot to each of the four small toes. If stress points are present in the flexor digitorum, pain occurs in the sole of the foot and under the toes.

To find stress points in this muscle, sit in a chair and place the ankle of your affected leg on the knee of your other leg. Locate the sharp protrusion on the front side of the tibia. Run your hand along it towards the back of your shin. The flexor digitorum muscle is located 8 cm down from the knee between the tibia and the gastrocnemius muscle. Press on the back of the bone and then on the outside of the shin to find tender spots.

Flexor of the foot attached at one end at the back fibula, runs along the back of the leg, crosses the talus with inside and is attached from the bottom of the foot to the big toe. If there are stress points in the foot flexor, pain occurs in the thumb and forefoot. When you stand still, the pain gets worse. When this muscle becomes stiff, finger diseases develop.

The plantar flexor cannot be detected directly. To find it, you need to probe deeply through the thick single muscle, pressing thumb on the shin at a distance of 2/3 down from the knee joint. The flexor is located there, at the beginning of the Achilles tendon. To find sensitive spots in it, press on the outside of the shin.

Stretching is very important to relax the toe and toe flexors.

Flexor digitorum longus stretch

Stretching: Sit on the floor and extend your leg forward. Grasp your toes with your hand and pull towards you. Relax your ankle so that it also flexes as you stretch. Maintain this position for 15-20 seconds, repeat the exercise many times a day to achieve complete relaxation.