Tarsal tunnel
Last revised by Arlene Campos on 9 Aug 2024
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Radswiki T, Campos A, Vajuhudeen Z, et al. Tarsal tunnel. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 03 Oct 2024) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-15569
Permalink:
rID:
15569
Article created:
26 Oct 2011,
The Radswiki ◉
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created The Radswiki had no recorded disclosures.
View The Radswiki's current disclosures
Last revised:
9 Aug 2024,
Arlene Campos ◉
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Arlene Campos had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Arlene Campos's current disclosures
Revisions:
10 times, by
7 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Sections:
Tags:
The tarsal tunnel is a fibro-osseous canal found in the medial aspect of the ankle.
On this page:
Gross anatomy
Boundaries
- roof: flexor retinaculum
- from the tip of the medial malleolus to the medial calcaneal process and plantar aponeurosis
- floor: medial surfaces of the tibia, talus and calcaneus 1, 2
Contents
From anterior to posterior:
- tibialis posterior tendon
- flexor digitorum longus tendon
- posterior tibial neurovascular bundle
- posterior tibial artery and vein
- tibial nerve: divides into the medial and lateral plantar nerves within the tunnel
- flexor hallucis longus tendon
A mnemonic to remember the order is Tom, Dick and Very Nervous Harry or Tom Doth Vex All Nervous Housemaids.
The tarsal tunnel is divided by fibrous septae joining the flexor retinaculum to the calcaneus, forming four separate compartments - one for each of the tendons and one for the neurovascular bundle 1-3.
The flexor retinaculum is continuous distally with plantar aponeurosis and proximally with the deep fascia of the leg.
Variant anatomy
- variable level of bifurcation of the tibial nerve either in, proximal or distal to the tarsal tunnel
- variable level of bifurcation of the posterior tibial artery in the tarsal tunnel
Related pathology
References
- 1. Erickson S, Quinn S, Kneeland J et al. MR Imaging of the Tarsal Tunnel and Related Spaces: Normal and Abnormal Findings with Anatomic Correlation. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 1990;155(2):323-8. doi:10.2214/ajr.155.2.2115260 - Pubmed
- 2. Rosenberg Z, Beltran J, Bencardino J. From the RSNA Refresher Courses. Radiological Society of North America. MR Imaging of the Ankle and Foot. Radiographics. 2000;20 Spec No(suppl_1):S153-79. doi:10.1148/radiographics.20.suppl_1.g00oc26s153 - Pubmed
- 3. Cornelius Rosse, Penelope Gaddum-Rosse. Hollinshead's Textbook of Anatomy. (1997) ISBN: 0397512562 - Google Books
Incoming Links
Articles:
- Medial plantar nerve entrapment
- Heel fat pad syndrome
- Posterior tibial veins
- Tibiocalcaneus internus muscle
- Soleal sling syndrome
- Posterior tibial artery
- Tarsal tunnel syndrome
- Flexor retinaculum (ankle)
- Posterior ankle tendons (mnemonic)
- Periosteal ganglion cyst
- Flexor digitorum longus muscle
- Tibial nerve
- Medial calcaneal nerve
Related articles: Anatomy: Lower limb
- skeleton of the lower limb
- joints of the lower limb
-
hip joint
- ligaments
- muscles
- additional structures
- hip joint capsule
- zona orbicularis
- iliotibial band
-
hip bursae
- anterior
- iliopsoas bursa (iliopectineal bursa)
- lateral
- subgluteal bursae
- greater trochanteric bursa (subgluteus maximus bursa)
- subgluteus medius bursa
- subgluteus minimus bursa
- gluteofemoral bursa
- subgluteal bursae
- postero-inferior
- anterior
- ossification centers
-
knee joint
- ligaments
- anterior cruciate ligament
- posterior cruciate ligament
- medial collateral ligament
- lateral collateral ligament
- meniscofemoral ligament (mnemonic)
-
posterolateral ligamentous complex
- arcuate ligament
- patellar tendon and quadriceps tendon
- anterolateral ligament
- posterior oblique ligament
- oblique popliteal ligament
- medial patellofemoral ligament
- additional structures
- extensor mechanism of the knee
- groove for the popliteus tendon
- knee bursae
- anterior bursae
- medial bursae
- lateral bursae
- posterior bursae
- knee capsule
- lateral patellar retinaculum
- medial patellar retinaculum
- menisci
- pes anserinus (mnemonic)
- ossification centers
- ligaments
- tibiofibular joints
-
ankle joint
- regional anatomy
- medial ankle
- lateral ankle
- anterior ankle
- ligaments
- medial collateral (deltoid) ligament
- lateral collateral ligament
- additional structures
- ankle bursae
- ossification centers of the ankle
- variants
- regional anatomy
- foot joints
- subtalar joint
- mid-tarsal (Chopart) joint
-
tarsometatarsal (Lisfranc) joint
- ligaments
- intermetatarsal joint
- metatarsophalangeal joint
- interphalangeal joint
- ossification centers
-
hip joint
- spaces of the lower limb
-
muscles of the lower limb
- muscles of the pelvic group
- muscles of the thigh
- muscles of the leg
- anterior compartment of the leg
- posterior compartments of the leg
- lateral compartment of the leg
- muscles of the foot
- dorsal muscles
- plantar muscles
- 1st layer
- 2nd layer
- 3rd layer
- 4th layer
- accessory muscles of the lower limb
- accessory gluteal muscles
-
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
- tibioastragalus anticus of Gruber muscle
- vascular supply of the lower limb
- arterial supply of the lower limb
- venous drainage of the lower limb
- innervation of the lower limb
- lymphatic system of the lower limb
- lymphatic pathways
- anteromedial group
- anterolateral group
- posteromedial group
- posterolateral group
- lower limb lymph nodes
- lymphatic pathways
Unable to process the form. Check for errors and try again.