The lateral plantar artery (external plantar artery), much larger than the medial, passes obliquely lateralward and forward to the base of the fifth

metatarsal The metatarsal bones, or metatarsus, are a group of five long bones in the foot, located between the tarsal bones of the hind- and mid-foot and the phalanges of the toes. Lacking individual names, the metatarsal bones are numbered from the med ...

bone. It then turns medialward to the interval between the bases of the first and second metatarsal bones, where it unites with the deep plantar branch of the

dorsalis pedis artery In human anatomy, the dorsalis pedis artery (dorsal artery of foot) is a blood vessel of the lower limb. It arises from the anterior tibial artery, and ends at the first intermetatarsal space (as the first dorsal metatarsal artery and the deep pl ...

, thus completing the

plantar arch The plantar arch is a circulatory anastomosis formed from: * deep plantar artery, from the dorsalis pedis - a.k.a. dorsal artery of the foot * lateral plantar artery The plantar arch supplies the underside, or sole, of the foot. The plantar arch ...

. As this artery passes lateralward, it is first placed between the

calcaneus In humans and many other primates, the calcaneus (; from the Latin ''calcaneus'' or ''calcaneum'', meaning heel) or heel bone is a bone of the tarsus of the foot which constitutes the heel. In some other animals, it is the point of the hock. S ...

and

Abductor hallucis The abductor hallucis muscle is an intrinsic muscle of the foot. It participates in the abduction and flexion of the great toe. Structure The abductor hallucis muscle is located in the medial border of the foot and contributes to form the prom ...

, and then between the

Flexor digitorum brevis The flexor digitorum brevis is a muscle which lies in the middle of the sole of the foot, immediately above the central part of the plantar aponeurosis, with which it is firmly united. Its deep surface is separated from the lateral plantar ves ...

and

Quadratus plantæ The quadratus plantae (flexor accessorius) is separated from the muscles of the first layer by the lateral plantar vessels and nerve. It acts to aid in flexing the 2nd to 5th toes (offsetting the oblique pull of the flexor digitorum longus) and is ...

as it runs forward to the base of the

little toe Toes are the digits (fingers) of the foot of a tetrapod. Animal species such as cats that walk on their toes are described as being '' digitigrade''. Humans, and other animals that walk on the soles of their feet, are described as being '' pl ...

it lies more superficially between the

and Abductor digiti quinti, covered by the plantar aponeurosis and integument. The remaining portion of the vessel is deeply situated; it extends from the base of the fifth metatarsal bone to the proximal part of the first interosseous space, and forms the plantar arch; it is convex forward, lies below the bases of the second, third, and fourth metatarsal bones and the corresponding

Interossei {{short description, Muscles between certain bones Interossei refer to muscles between certain bones. There are many interossei in a human body. Specific interossei include: On the hands * Dorsal interossei muscles of the hand * Palmar interosse ...

, and upon the oblique part of the

Adductor hallucis The Adductor hallucis (Adductor obliquus hallucis) arises by two heads—oblique and transverse and is responsible for adducting the big toe. It has two heads, both are innervated by the lateral plantar nerve. Structure Oblique head The ''oblique ...

Additional images

File:Gray357.png, Coronal section through right talocrural and talocalcaneal joints.

References

External links

* * http://www.dartmouth.edu/~humananatomy/figures/chapter_17/17-3.HTM Arteries of the lower limb {{circulatory-stub