Dorsal metatarsal arteries
Arteriae metatarseae dorsales
Four small arteries on the back of the foot that run along the intermetatarsal spaces and divide into dorsal digital arteries for the toes.
At a glance
- English
- Dorsal metatarsal arteries
- Latin (TA2)
- Arteriae metatarseae dorsales
- System
- Artery
- Region
- Foot
- Side
- Paired, left and right
About the dorsal metatarsal arteries
The dorsal metatarsal arteries lie on the dorsum of the foot, one in each of the four spaces between the metatarsal bones. Each runs forwards on the surface of the dorsal interosseous muscle of its space, deep to the extensor tendons, towards the cleft between two toes.
Their origins differ. The first dorsal metatarsal artery is a terminal branch of the dorsalis pedis artery, arising where that vessel sends its deep plantar branch into the sole; it runs forwards on the first dorsal interosseous muscle. The second, third and fourth vessels spring from the convex edge of the arcuate artery as it arches across the bases of the metatarsals. When the arcuate artery is small, the lateral tarsal artery or the plantar arch may supply them instead.
Each vessel is reinforced from the sole. At the back of its space it receives a proximal (posterior) perforating branch from the plantar arch, and near the front of the space a distal (anterior) perforating branch from the corresponding plantar metatarsal artery. These perforating links tie the dorsal and plantar systems together across every space.
On reaching the toe clefts each artery divides into two dorsal digital arteries for the facing sides of neighbouring toes. The fourth also gives a twig along the lateral side of the little toe, and the first usually sends one to the medial side of the great toe. When a toe is moved to the hand, the first of these vessels is the key artery of the first web space flap.
Course and supply
- Arises from
- The first from the dorsalis pedis artery; the second to fourth from the arcuate artery, each also fed by perforating vessels rising from the plantar arch.
- Ends in
- Each divides in a toe cleft into two dorsal digital arteries for the adjacent sides of the toes.
- Supplies
- Supply the dorsal interosseous muscles, the dorsum of the forefoot and the dorsal surfaces of the toes.
Anthromica
See the dorsal metatarsal arteries where it really sits, with every layer of the body around it.
- Every layer, one body. Peel from muscle to bone, nerve, vessel and organ, and turn it any way.
- English and Latin. Every structure named the way your exam names it.
- Quiz until it sticks. Short drills on the structures you keep missing.
Free to start. No card.
