Contents
Anatomy
General information
- This section is strictly limited to anatomy, you might be looking for clinical relevant information which is found under the clinical chapters -- muscles section, click here to go to that page
Position
- The distal part of the muscle is superficial
- The most proximal part of the muscle is deep to tibialis anterior and fibularis longus
Origin
- Lateral condyle tibia
- Anterior surface of the body of fibula
- Proximal 3/4
- Membrana interosseus
- Proximal 1/3
- Deep fasicae
Insertion
- Dorsal aspect of 2-5 toes
- Via digital expansion
Main function
- Ankle
- Dorsiflexion
- Evertion
- MTP toes
- Extension
- IP toes
- Extension
Nerve innervation
- Segmental
- L5-S1
- Peripheral
- Deep fibular nerve
Arterial supply
- Anterior tibial artery
Palpation
- Patient positoin
- Supine
- Place your hand on the dorsal surface of the patient's foot
- Ask the patient to extend the 2-5 toes while you feel for the contraction of the tendons
- Follow the tendons as far proximally as possible
- When palpating the muscle belly
- Palpate along the anterior part of the calf just laterally to tibiae in the area between tibialis anterior and peroneus longus
- NB! Tibialis anterior is the muscle which is located most proximal to tibiae of the three aforementioned muscles, followed by extensor digitorum longus and peroneus longus
Strength test
- Patient position
- Supine
- Stabilize the patient's foot in a slight plantarflexed position
- Put pressure towards the dorsal surface of the 2-5 toes in a flexion direction so that the patient gives force towrads extension
- This test also affects the extensor digitorum brevis
Muscle weakness
- Can give a resemblance to drop foot
- Can also give varus position of the front foot
- Weakness in this muscle lowers the ability to dorsalflex the ankle as well as performing evertion
- Can cause flatfoot - in people with flatfoot, the extensor digitorum longus is markedly weak