The muscle of the outer side of the leg whose tendon runs behind the lateral malleolus and across the sole of the foot
Fibularis longus.
Anatomy · Muscles
Fibularis longus
Formerly peroneus longus
Lower limb · leg, lateral compartment
Fibularis longus (formerly peroneus longus) is the long muscle on the outer side of the leg, arising from the fibula. Its tendon passes behind the lateral malleolus, across the sole of the foot and inserts on the medial cuneiform and first metatarsal. It everts the foot, plantarflexes the ankle and supports the transverse arch, and is supplied by the superficial fibular nerve.
How to spot them
- ▸Long muscle on the outer side of the leg, over the fibula
- ▸Tendon runs behind the outer ankle bone, then under the foot to the inner side
- ▸Tendon crosses the cuboid in a groove on the underside of the foot
- ▸Together with tibialis anterior it forms a stirrup under the arch
What to know
A muscle that turns the sole of the foot outward and helps support the transverse arch
Fibularis longus — eversion and plantarflexion.
Its tendon inserts on the medial cuneiform and base of the first metatarsal
Fibularis longus.
A muscle supplied by the superficial fibular nerve (L5–S1), in the lateral compartment of the leg
Fibularis longus.
A muscle named 'peroneus' in older texts, from the Greek for the pin of a brooch, the fibula
Fibularis longus — formerly peroneus longus.
The muscle that pairs with tibialis anterior to form a stirrup beneath the foot
Fibularis longus.
Key ideas
- It runs in a groove on the cuboid bone under the foot, acting like a pulley to support the arch.
- The lateral compartment of the leg contains fibularis longus and brevis, supplied by the superficial fibular nerve.
Quick-fire facts
- •Origin: head and upper two-thirds of the lateral surface of the fibula.
- •Insertion: lateral surface of the medial cuneiform and the base of the first metatarsal.
- •Nerve supply: superficial fibular nerve (L5–S1).
- •Actions: everts the foot, weakly plantarflexes the ankle and supports the transverse arch.
- •Its tendon passes behind the lateral malleolus and under the cuboid bone.
- •It was formerly called peroneus longus, from the Greek perone, brooch pin, meaning the fibula.
- •It and fibularis brevis form the lateral compartment of the leg.
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