Lower limb
Plantar venous arch and plantar venous pump of Lejars
Arcus venosus plantaris et venae digitales plantares
- Origin
- Dense venous plexus situated within the deep and subcutaneous tissues of the sole of the foot
- Insertion
- Drains into medial/lateral plantar veins and through intercapitular veins into the dorsal venous network
- Function
- Functions as the initial physiological plantar venous pump (pump of Lejars), forcefully propelling blood into the deep calf veins upon weightbearing
- Innervation
- Sympathetic vasomotor plexus
- Movement & chain
- Compressed cyclically during heel strike and push-off in normal gait
- Palpation
- Not palpable through the thick plantar fibrofatty heel pad
- Clinical
- Loss of the foot pump during prolonged bed rest or casting markedly increases the risk of deep vein thrombosis
- Segmental innervation
- L5–S2 microvascular segment
- In clinical practice
- Foot impulse compression devices and active ankle pumping exercises for DVT prophylaxis in bedridden or post-op patients
- Region in the model
- Lower limb