Tibialis anterior muscle
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View Arlene Campos's current disclosures- Tibialis anterior
- Tibialis anterior tendon
- Tibialis anterior (TAT)
The tibialis anterior muscle is a long narrow fusiform-shaped muscle located in the anterior compartment of the leg. It is the most superficial and largest muscle of the group and is the main foot dorsiflexor.
Summary
origin: superior two thirds of the lateral surface of tibia and adjacent interosseous membrane
insertion: inferomedial aspect of medial cuneiform and base of first metatarsal
-
action:
dorsiflexion of foot at ankle
inversion of the foot (at subtalar and midtarsal joints)
helps to hold up medial longitudinal arch of foot
blood supply: branches of the anterior tibial and fibular arteries
innervation: deep peroneal nerve (L4 - S1)
On this page:
Gross anatomy
Relations
The tibialis anterior lies medial to the extensor digitorum longus and extensor hallucis longus. The muscle pierces the superior extensor retinacula but travels deep to the inferior retinacula which holds it in place.
Origin
The tibialis anterior muscle originates from the lateral condyle and upper two-thirds of the lateral surface of the tibia. Additionally, it arises from the interosseous membrane of the leg, deep surface of the fascia cruris and the anterior intermuscular septum.
Insertion
The tibialis anterior inserts on the medial cuneiform bone and base of the first metatarsal bone.
Action
The tibialis anterior muscle provides dorsiflexion at the talocrural (ankle) joint and inversion of the foot at the subtalar and midtarsal (Chopart's) joints. It also plays a role in supporting the medial longitudinal arch of the foot.
Innervation
The tibialis anterior is innervated by the deep peroneal (fibular) nerve (L4 - S1), a branch of the common peroneal nerve.
Arterial supply
The muscle receives arterial blood supply primarily from the branches of the anterior tibial artery in addition to branches of the posterior tibial artery.
Variant anatomy
Os sesamoideum tibialis anterioris is an accessory sesamoid bone that arises during embryonic development which is sometimes incorrectly misdiagnosed as a fracture 4.
References
- 1. Susan Standring. Gray's Anatomy. (2008) ISBN: 9780443066849 - Google Books
- 2. Varghese A, Bianchi S. Ultrasound of tibialis anterior muscle and tendon: anatomy, technique of examination, normal and pathologic appearance. J Ultrasound. 2014;17 (2): 113-23. doi:10.1007/s40477-013-0060-7 - Free text at pubmed - Pubmed citation
- 3. Mengiardi B, Pfirrmann C, Vienne P et al. Anterior Tibial Tendon Abnormalities: MR Imaging Findings. Radiology. 2005;235(3):977-84. doi:10.1148/radiol.2353040617 - Pubmed
- 4. Theodore Eliot Keats, Mark Anderson. Atlas of Normal Roentgen Variants That May Simulate Disease. (2001) ISBN: 9780323013222 - Google Books
Incoming Links
- Anterior compartment of the leg
- Sciatic nerve motor distribution
- Extensor digitorum longus muscle
- Tibioastragalus anticus of Gruber muscle
- Deep peroneal nerve entrapment
- Fibularis longus muscle
- Cuneonavicular joint
- Anterior medial malleolar artery
- Plantaris muscle
- Ankle extensor compartment injury
- Tibialis posterior muscle
- Gastrocnemius muscle
- Muscles of the lower limb
- Metatarsal
- Extensor hallucis longus muscle
- Extensor hallucis capsularis tendon
- Tibia
- Inclusion body myositis
- Ankle joint
- Gerdy tubercle
- Insertional tendinopathy of the tibialis anterior tendon
- Muscle hernias - tibialis anterior muscle
- Foreign body - leg
- Tibialis anterior tendon laceration
- Tibialis anterior tendon bony avulsion
- Extensor digitorum longus tenosynovitis
- Muscle hernia - leg
- Tibialis anterior muscle hernia
- Tibialis anterior tendon rupture - atraumatic
- Foreign body (ankle)
- Foreign body - distal leg
- Foot muscle insertion - anterior (Gray's illustration)
- Tibialis anterior muscle (illustration)
- Foot muscle insertions (Gray's anatomy illustration)
- Tibialis anterior tenosynovitis
- Tibialis anterior tendinosis
- Tibialis anterior tendon rupture
- MRI anatomy of ankle
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