Accessory muscles of the ankle
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Feger J, Bell D, Jones J, Accessory muscles of the ankle. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 30 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-90918
rID:
90918
Article created:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Joachim Feger had no recorded disclosures.
View Joachim Feger's current disclosures
Last revised:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Joachim Feger had no recorded disclosures.
View Joachim Feger's current disclosures
Revisions:
13 times, by
3 contributors -
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Systems:
Sections:
Synonyms:
- Ankle accessory muscles
- Accessory muscles (ankle)
- Accessory muscle of the ankle
Accessory muscles of the ankle are muscular anatomical variants that are usually asymptomatic but rarely cause symptoms or might be encountered on imaging studies.
The following accessory muscles around the ankle have been described 1-4:
- posteromedial/flexor compartment
- accessory flexor digitorum longus muscle (deep to the flexor retinaculum)
- accessory soleus muscle (superficial to the flexor retinaculum)
- peroneocalcaneus internus muscle (rare, deep to the flexor retinaculum)
- tibiocalcaneus internus muscle (unknown, deep to the flexor retinaculum)
- lateral/peroneal compartment
-
peroneus quartus muscles
- peroneocalcaneus externus muscle
- peroneus digiti minimi muscle
- peroneus accessorius muscle
-
peroneus quartus muscles
- anterior/extensor compartment
On this page:
Radiographic features
Accessory muscles look like normal muscles in an abnormal location on imaging studies.
Radiology report
The radiological report should include a description of the following features:
- accessory muscle with location
- signs of impingement
- nerve compression syndromes
Clinical importance
Accessory muscles might mimic pathological conditions such as tumours or mass lesions.
Related pathology
Accessory muscles of the ankle have been implicated in the following clinical conditions 3,4:
- ankle impingement syndromes
- tarsal tunnel syndrome
- chronic ankle pain
- hindfoot deformity
References
- 1. Aparisi Gómez M, Aparisi F, Bartoloni A et al. Anatomical Variation in the Ankle and Foot: From Incidental Finding to Inductor of Pathology. Part I: Ankle and Hindfoot. Insights Imaging. 2019;10(1):74. doi:10.1186/s13244-019-0746-2 - Pubmed
- 2. Sookur P, Naraghi A, Bleakney R, Jalan R, Chan O, White L. Accessory Muscles: Anatomy, Symptoms, and Radiologic Evaluation. Radiographics. 2008;28(2):481-99. doi:10.1148/rg.282075064 - Pubmed
- 3. Cheung Y. Normal Variants. Magn Reson Imaging Clin N Am. 2017;25(1):11-26. doi:10.1016/j.mric.2016.08.002 - Pubmed
- 4. Carroll JF. Accessory Muscles of the Ankle. Radsource – November 2008. MRI Web Clinic
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- 1st layer
- 2nd layer
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- accessory muscles of the lower limb
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accessory muscles of the ankle
- accessory peroneal muscles
- accessory flexor digitorum longus muscle
- accessory soleus muscle
- peroneocalcaneus internus muscle
- tibiocalcaneus internus muscle
- extensor hallucis capsularis tendon
- anterior fibulocalcaneus muscle
- accessory extensor digiti secundus muscle
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