Extensor hallucis longus muscle

The extensor hallucis longus muscle is a thin skeletal muscle, situated between the tibialis anterior and the extensor digitorum longus. It extends the big toe and dorsiflects the foot. It also assists with foot eversion and inversion.

Extensor hallucis longus muscle
The mucous sheaths of the tendons around the ankle. Lateral aspect. (Ext. hall. long. labeled at upper left.)
Animation
Details
Origin	Arises from the middle portion of the fibula on the anterior surface and the interosseous membrane
Insertion	Inserts on the dorsal side of the base of the distal phalanx of the big toe
Artery	Anterior tibial artery
Nerve	Deep fibular nerve, L5 (L4-S1)
Actions	Extends (raises) the big toe and assists in dorsiflexion of the foot at the ankle. Also is a weak evertor/invertor
Antagonist	Flexor hallucis longus, flexor hallucis brevis
Identifiers
Latin	musculus extensor hallucis longus
TA98	A04.7.02.040
TA2	2650
FMA	22533
Anatomical terms of muscle [edit on Wikidata]

Structure

The muscle ends as a tendon of insertion. The tendon passes through a distinct compartment in the inferior extensor retinaculum of foot. It crosses anterior tibial vessels lateromedially near the bend of the ankle.^{[citation needed]} In the foot, its tendon is situated at along the medial side of the dorsum of the foot.^[1] Opposite the metatarsophalangeal articulation, the tendon gives off a thin prolongation on either side, to cover the surface of the joint. An expansion from the medial side of the tendon is usually inserted into the base of the proximal phalanx.^{[citation needed]}

Origin

The extensor hallucis longus muscle arises from the middle portion of^[2] the anterior surface^{[citation needed]} of the fibula and adjacent interosseous membrane of the leg.^[3] Its origin is medial to the origin of the extensor digitorum longus muscle.^{[citation needed]}

Insertion

The muscle inserts at the base of the distal phalanx of the great toe.^[4]

Nerve supply

The muscle receives motor innervation from the deep fibular nerve (L5)^[3] (a branch of common fibular nerve).

Relations

The anterior tibial vessels and deep fibular nerve pass between this muscle and the tibialis anterior muscle.

Variation

Occasionally united at its origin with the extensor digitorum longus.

The extensor ossis metatarsi hallucis, a small muscle, sometimes found as a slip from the extensor hallucis longus, or from the tibialis anterior, or from the extensor digitorum longus, or as a distinct muscle; it traverses the same compartment of the transverse ligament with the extensor hallucis longus.

Actions/movements

The muscle extends/dorsiflects the big toe (primary action), and dorsiflects the foot (secondary action).^[3]

Additional Images

• 
  Cross-section through middle of leg. (Extensores longi digitorum et hallucis labeled at upper left.)
• 
  Dorsum of Foot. Deep dissection.
• 
  Dorsum of Foot. Deep dissection.
• 
  Ankle joint. Deep dissection. Medial view
• 
  Ankle joint. Deep dissection. Lateral view.

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 481 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

1. Sinnatamby, Chummy (2011). Last's Anatomy (12th ed.). p. 144. ISBN 978-0-7295-3752-0.
2. Sinnatamby, Chummy (2011). Last's Anatomy (12th ed.). p. 144. ISBN 978-0-7295-3752-0.
3. Sinnatamby, Chummy (2011). Last's Anatomy (12th ed.). p. 144. ISBN 978-0-7295-3752-0.
4. Sinnatamby, Chummy (2011). Last's Anatomy (12th ed.). p. 144. ISBN 978-0-7295-3752-0.

External links

• Anatomy photo:15:st-0402 at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center - "The Leg: Muscles"
• University of Washington