Muscles of foot

The muscles of the foot are defined in Terminologia Anatomica 2 as located entirely within the foot (then called intrinsic muscles of foot by some authors). They are arranged in four layers on the sole and a dorsal group.

• Dorsal aspect:

  • Extensor digitorum brevis

  • Extensor hallucis brevis

• Plantar aspect:

  • First layer (superficial):

    • Abductor hallucis

    • Flexor digitorum brevis

    • Abductor digiti minimi

  • Second layer:

    • Quadratus plantae

    • Lumbricals

  • Third layer:

    • Flexor hallucis brevis

    • Adductor hallucis

    • Flexor digiti minimi brevis

  • Fourth layer (deepest):

    • Plantar interossei (3 muscles, adduct toes)

    • Dorsal interossei (4 muscles, abduct toes) muscles are entirely within the foot. They are arranged in four layers on the sole and a dorsal group.

Some sources include the "extrinsic foot muscles" in the term "muscles of foot". These mucles originate in the leg and insert into the foot, controlling gross movements such as dorsiflexion, plantarflexion, inversion, and eversion. Key extrinsic muscles acting on the foot include:

• Tibialis anterior

• Tibialis posterior

• Peroneus longus and brevis

• Flexor hallucis longus

• Flexor digitorum longus

• Extensor hallucis longus

• Extensor digitorum longus