Lateral plantar artery
Arteria plantaris lateralis
The larger terminal branch of the posterior tibial artery, crossing the sole laterally and then turning medially to form the plantar arch.
At a glance
- English
- Lateral plantar artery
- Latin (TA2)
- Arteria plantaris lateralis
- System
- Artery
- Region
- Foot
- Side
- Paired, left and right
About the lateral plantar artery
The lateral plantar artery is the bigger of the two branches into which the posterior tibial artery divides under the flexor retinaculum, deep to abductor hallucis. It is considerably larger than its partner, the medial plantar artery, because it is responsible for the deep arch of the sole.
Its course has two stages. First it runs obliquely forwards and laterally towards the fifth metatarsal base. On this stretch it lies initially between abductor hallucis and the calcaneus, then between flexor digitorum brevis below and quadratus plantae above. Approaching the little toe it becomes more superficial, lying in the furrow where abductor digiti minimi meets flexor digitorum brevis, with only the plantar aponeurosis and the skin over it. The lateral plantar nerve runs alongside it.
Beside the fifth metatarsal base the artery turns sharply and runs medially, now deep in the sole. This second stretch is the plantar arch. It curves with its convexity forwards, lying on the bases of the second to fourth metatarsals and their interossei, above the oblique head of adductor hallucis, and reaches the proximal end of the first intermetatarsal space. There the arch is closed by the deep plantar artery, which descends from the dorsalis pedis.
Along the way it supplies the muscles and skin of the lateral sole, gives a digital artery to the lateral side of the little toe, and from the arch sends plantar metatarsal and perforating branches forwards and upwards. A deep wound of the sole can bleed briskly from both ends of the arch because it is fed from two directions.
Course and supply
- Arises from
- The posterior tibial artery, as its larger terminal branch beneath the flexor retinaculum and abductor hallucis.
- Ends in
- Turns medially beside the fifth metatarsal base as the plantar arch and ends by joining the deep plantar artery in the first intermetatarsal space.
- Supplies
- Supplies the muscles, joints and skin of the lateral sole and, through the plantar arch, the metatarsal region and the toes.
Anthromica
See the lateral plantar artery 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.
