The muscle beside the sharp front edge of the shin bone that hardens when you pull the foot upward
Tibialis anterior.
Anatomy · Muscles
Tibialis anterior
Main dorsiflexor of the ankle
Lower limb · leg, anterior compartment
Tibialis anterior is the muscle lying against the outer side of the shin bone, whose tendon crosses the front of the ankle to reach the medial side of the foot. It dorsiflexes the ankle and inverts the foot, and is supplied by the deep fibular nerve. Its paralysis produces foot drop.
How to spot them
- ▸Fleshy muscle beside the sharp shin, on its outer side, easily felt when you lift the foot
- ▸Tendon crosses the front of the ankle and ends on the inner side of the foot
- ▸Attaches to the medial cuneiform and base of the first metatarsal
- ▸Sits in the anterior compartment of the leg with the long extensors
What to know
Weakness of this muscle causes foot drop, with the toes dragging in walking
Tibialis anterior — deep fibular nerve (L4–L5).
A tendon that stands out at the front and inner side of the ankle when the foot is lifted and turned in
Tibialis anterior.
Its tendon inserts on the medial cuneiform and the base of the first metatarsal
Tibialis anterior.
The main dorsiflexor of the ankle, and an invertor of the foot
Tibialis anterior.
It arises from the upper two-thirds of the lateral surface of the tibia and the interosseous membrane
Tibialis anterior.
Key ideas
- It dorsiflexes and inverts the foot, and helps to maintain the medial longitudinal arch; in walking it lowers the foot gently after heel strike.
- Together with fibularis longus it forms a functional stirrup beneath the arch of the foot.
Quick-fire facts
- •Origin: lateral condyle and upper two-thirds of the lateral surface of the tibia, and the interosseous membrane.
- •Insertion: medial cuneiform and base of the first metatarsal.
- •Nerve supply: deep fibular (peroneal) nerve (L4–L5).
- •Actions: dorsiflexes the ankle and inverts the foot.
- •Injury to the common fibular nerve, at the neck of the fibula, causes foot drop.
- •It is the most medial muscle of the anterior compartment of the leg.
- •The tendon can be seen and felt at the front of the ankle when you dorsiflex and invert the foot.
Drill it — 6 cards
1 / 6new card