Lower limb
Medial plantar artery
Arteria plantaris medialis
- Origin
- Smaller terminal branch of the posterior tibial artery arising within the tarsal tunnel
- Insertion
- Passes along the medial side of the sole between abductor hallucis and flexor digitorum brevis to the great toe
- Function
- Supplies the medial plantar muscles, medial sole skin, and medial aspect of the hallux
- Innervation
- Sympathetic vasomotor fibers carried by the medial plantar nerve
- Movement & chain
- Cushioned beneath the plantar aponeurosis during weightbearing
- Palpation
- Not palpable through the thick plantar fascia
- Clinical
- Vascular basis for the medial plantar (instep) flap used to reconstruct sensate weight-bearing heel defects
- Segmental innervation
- L4–L5 spinal roots
- In clinical practice
- Anatomical pedicle harvested for durable plantar skin reconstruction in orthopedic and trauma surgery
- Region in the model
- Lower limb