Accessory muscles of the ankle

Last revised by Joachim Feger on 28 Dec 2021

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:

Accessory muscles look like normal muscles in an abnormal location on imaging studies.

The radiological report should include a description of the following features:

Accessory muscles might mimic pathological conditions such as tumors or mass lesions. 

Accessory muscles of the ankle have been implicated in the following clinical conditions 3,4:

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