Plantar intercuneiform ligaments
Ligamenta intercuneiformia plantaria
Short bands on the sole of the midfoot that tie each cuneiform bone to its neighbour on the underside.
At a glance
- English
- Plantar intercuneiform ligaments
- Latin (TA2)
- Ligamenta intercuneiformia plantaria
- System
- Ligament
- Region
- Foot
- Side
- Paired, left and right
About the plantar intercuneiform ligaments
The plantar intercuneiform ligaments are the sole-side partners of the dorsal intercuneiform ligaments. They run transversely across the underside of the midfoot, one between the medial and intermediate cuneiforms and one between the intermediate and lateral cuneiforms. A plantar cuneocuboid ligament continues the series from the lateral cuneiform to the cuboid.
Because the cuneiforms are wedges with their narrow edges pointing towards the sole, the plantar surfaces of the intermediate and lateral bones are small, and these ligaments are short. They are reinforced by fibres from tendons that fan out across the sole. Tibialis posterior sends slips to all three cuneiforms, while the tendon of fibularis longus crosses the sole obliquely beneath them on its way to the medial cuneiform and the base of the first metatarsal. Deeper still, interosseous ligaments join the facing surfaces of the bones, and the intercuneiform joints share their synovial cavity with the cuneonavicular joint.
On the sole the arch is under tension when the foot bears weight, so the plantar ligaments help resist spreading of the cuneiforms and flattening of the transverse arch. With the dorsal and interosseous bands they keep the cuneiforms working as a rigid block that transmits load forwards to the first three metatarsals, allowing only slight gliding between them.
These ligaments may be damaged together with the rest of the intercuneiform and tarsometatarsal complex in Lisfranc injuries, particularly when the injury line runs between the medial and intermediate cuneiforms. They are also stressed in a flat foot, where loss of support from tibialis posterior throws more load onto the passive ligaments of the midfoot.
Attachments and function
- Attaches from
- Plantar surfaces of the medial and intermediate cuneiform bones.
- Attaches to
- Plantar surfaces of the adjacent intermediate and lateral cuneiform bones.
- Function
- Bind adjacent cuneiforms on the sole and help resist flattening of the transverse arch under load.
- Nerve supply
- Twigs of the medial and lateral plantar nerves.
- Blood supply
- Branches of the medial and lateral plantar arteries and the deep plantar arch.
Anthromica
See the plantar intercuneiform ligaments 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.
