Extensor digitorum longus muscle
Extensor digitorum longus (EDL) is a thin muscle situated in the anterior leg lateral to extensor hallucis longus and extends the lateral four toes.
Summary
- origin: upper two thirds of anterior shaft of fibula, superior portion of the anterior surface of the interosseous membrane, superior tibiofibular joint, anterior lateral condyle of tibia
-
insertion: dorsal aponeurosis on the dorsal surface of the proximal phalanges of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th toes. Each dorsal aponeurosis then divides into a central band and two lateral bands:
- the central band inserts into the base of the middle phalanx
- the lateral bands insert into the medial and lateral surfaces of the base of the distal phalanx
- action: extends the lateral four toes, aids in dorsiflexion
- arterial supply: anterior tibial artery
- innervation: deep peroneal nerve (L5. S1)
-
key relationships:
- lateral to extensor hallucis longus
- shares a common tendon sheath with peroneus tertius
- superficial to the extensor digitorum brevis
Gross anatomy
The muscle divides into four distinct tendons above the ankle joint which descend deep to the superior extensor retinaculum. As these tendons pass deep to the inferior extensor retinaculum, they are enclosed in a common tendon sheath with peroneus tertius.
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Anatomy: Lower limb
- skeleton of the lower limb
- joints of the lower limb
-
hip joint
- ligaments
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- additional structures
- hip joint capsule
- zona orbicularis
- iliotibial band
-
hip bursae
- anterior
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- lateral
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- postero-inferior
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knee joint
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posterolateral ligamentous complex
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- medial patellofemoral ligament
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- ligaments
- tibiofibular joints
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ankle joint
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- medial ankle
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- anterior ankle
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- ossification centers of the ankle
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- regional anatomy
- foot joints
-
subtalar joint
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- mid-tarsal (Chopart) joint
-
tarsometatarsal (Lisfranc) joint
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- intermetatarsal joint
- metatarsophalangeal joint
- interphalangeal joint
- ossification centers
-
subtalar joint
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hip joint
- spaces of the lower limb
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muscles of the lower limb
- muscles of the pelvic group
- inner hip group
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- lateral rotator group
- muscles of the thigh
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