Arterial supply to the foot can be divided into plantar and dorsal components.

Plantar arterial supply

Posterior tibial artery 

• gives off its calcaneal branch 

• then divides into the medial and lateral plantar arteries

Medial plantar artery

• branch of the posterior tibial artery

• smaller caliber vessel

• supplies the medial side of the foot, abductor hallucis muscle and flexor digitorum brevis muscle

• provides the arterial digital supply to the big toe

• gives off cutaneous branches that perforate the plantar aponeurosis between abductor hallucis muscle and flexor digitorum brevis muscle

Lateral plantar artery

• branch of the posterior tibial artery

• larger caliber vessel

• crosses the sole obliquely towards the base of the fifth metatarsal bone

• gives off cutaneous branches that perforate the plantar aponeurosis between flexor digitorum brevis and abductor digiti minimi muscles

• gives off a superficial branch that follows its respective nerve

• continues as a deep trunk to form the plantar arch

Plantar arch

• anastomosis of the lateral plantar artery and dorsalis pedis artery

• only arterial plantar arch in the foot

• lies in the neurovascular plane deep to the plantar aponeurosis, superficial to the long tendons (between the first and second anatomical layers)

• travels across the bases of the fourth, third, and second metatarsals and gives off the plantar metatarsal arteries

• joins the dorsalis pedis artery in the proximal part of the first intermetatarsal space

Plantar metatarsal arteries 

• four metatarsal arteries

• branch of the plantar arch

• supply the four clefts and digits

• anastomose with the dorsal metatarsal arteries via perforating arteries

Dorsal arterial supply

Dorsalis pedis artery

• continuation of the anterior tibial artery as it runs over the lower end of the tibia

• runs lateral to extensor hallucis longus muscle 

• runs to the base of the first intermetatarsal space, where its deep branch joins the plantar arch

• also branches to form the medial tarsal artery, lateral tarsal artery, arcuate artery

• continues as the first dorsal metatarsal artery

First dorsal metatarsal artery

• continuation of the dorsalis pedis artery

• supplies the first inter-metatarsal space and the medial side of the dorsum of the great toe

Medial tarsal arteries

• two or three branches from the dorsalis pedis artery

• ramify on the medial border of the foot and join the medial malleolar arterial network

Lateral tarsal artery

• branch of the dorsalis pedis artery 

• travels laterally supplying underlying tarsal bones

• lies beneath extensor digitorum brevis muscle, which it supplies

• anastomoses with perforating branch of the fibular artery (taking part in anastomosis around ankle joint)

Arcuate artery

• branch of the dorsalis pedis artery

• runs beneath the tendons of extensor digitorum brevis muscle, over the bases of the metatarsal bones

• courses laterally along the metatarsal bases

• gives off dorsal metatarsal arteries

• anastomoses with the lateral tarsal artery

Dorsal metatarsal arteries

• three arteries arise from the arcuate artery (first artery is a direct continuation of dorsalis pedis artery)

• travel in the lateral three inter-metatarsal spaces

• give off proximal and distal perforating branches that communicate with the plantar metatarsal arteries of the plantar arch

• continues into the toes as dorsal digital arteries

Variant anatomy

• absence of the dorsalis pedis artery: dorsal supply from the plantar arteries 

• dorsalis pedis as the continuation of the peroneal artery

• hypoplastic dorsalis pedis

• absence of the arcuate artery 

• arcuate artery arising from the lateral tarsal artery 

• supply of the dorsal metatarsal arteries from the plantar arch alone 

• no communication between the plantar and dorsal arch