Proper plantar digital arteries

At a glance

English

Proper plantar digital arteries

Latin (TA2)

Arteriae digitales plantares propriae

System

Artery

Region

Foot

Side

Paired, left and right

About the proper plantar digital arteries

These vessels are the final arterial branches of the sole. Each one runs along one plantar side of a toe, so most toes have two, a medial and a lateral. They arise at the toe webs, where every common plantar digital artery divides to supply the facing sides of the two toes on either side of the cleft.

Two of the vessels have different origins. The medial side of the great toe is served by a branch of the first plantar metatarsal artery or of the medial plantar artery, and the lateral side of the little toe by a branch from the lateral plantar artery or the fourth plantar metatarsal artery, since these borders have no web on their outer side.

Along each toe the artery lies on the plantar surface beside the fibrous flexor sheath, next to its matching proper plantar digital nerve. It gives branches to the flexor tendon sheath, the joints and the thick pad of the toe, and sends dorsal branches round the side of the toe to supply the nail bed and the skin over the distal phalanx. At the tip of the toe the medial and lateral arteries join one another, forming an arch in the pulp.

Because the dorsal digital arteries of the foot are small and fade out early, these plantar vessels are the main supply of the toes. Their health is closely watched in people with diabetes or narrowing of the leg arteries, where poor flow first shows as pale, cold or slowly healing toes. Because the digital nerves and arteries run together along the sides of each toe, a ring block of local anaesthetic is placed around the base of the toe to reach them.

Course and supply

Arises from

The common plantar digital arteries at the toe webs; for the medial great toe and lateral little toe, branches of the plantar arteries or plantar metatarsal arteries.

Ends in

Run along the plantar sides of the toes and join one another in the pulp of each toe tip.

Supplies

Supply the skin, pads, flexor sheaths, joints and nail beds of the toes.