Anat Cell Biol.  2023 Dec;56(4):562-565. 10.5115/acb.23.102.

Anatomical variation of quadratus plantae in relation with flexor digitorum brevis

• Raviteja P
• Chandrupatla M
• Harshitha R
• Chowdary MS

• KMID: 2548917
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5115/acb.23.102

Abstract

The muscles of the sole have been traditionally categorized into four layers, but it is more practical to divide them into peripheral and central groups. The peripheral groups include medial and lateral groups. The central plantar muscles are more numerous and divided into superficial and deep layers. During routine dissection in the Department of Anatomy, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Bibinagar, Hyderabad, variations are been observed in the plantar intrinsic muscle in the left foot & right foot of a 53-year-old male cadaver. This is the first cadaveric report of a combination of discrepancies especially the inter-tendinous connection between quadratus plantae and flexor digitorum brevis. Similar observations in the literature were not found by us. It is important to identify and study these dissimilarities of muscles of the sole for surgeons, anatomists, radiologists and orthopaedics as these muscles and tendons are used in foot reconstructive procedures, and for the treatment of some congenital anomalies.

Keyword

Quadratus plantae; Flexor digitorum brevis; Sole; Foot; Flexor digitorum accessories

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Variations in the left foot. 1: Three tendons of FDB, 2: tendons of FDL, 3: muscle belly of QP, 4: tendon slip of QP, 5: interconnection of tendon of QP with second tendon of FDB, 6: fourth tendon of FDL originates from both QP and FDL, and 7: reflected muscle belly of FDB. FDB, flexor digitorum brevis; FDL, flexor digitorum longus; QP, quadratus plantae.

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  Fig. 2 Variations in the right foot. 1: Three tendons of FDB, 2: four tendons of FDL, 3: tendon of Flexor hallucis longus, and 4: muscle belly of FDB. FDB, flexor digitorum brevis; FDL, flexor digitorum longus.

Reference

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