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. 2007;51(3):158-65.

The plantaris muscle: anatomy, injury, imaging, and treatment

Andreo A Spina  1
Affiliations

The plantaris muscle: anatomy, injury, imaging, and treatment

Andreo A Spina. J Can Chiropr Assoc. 2007.

Abstract
in English, French

The plantaris muscle is often dismissed as a small, vestigial muscle, however an injury to this structure should actually be included in differential considerations of the painful calf. Injury to the plantaris on its own, or in association with concurrent injuries of the knee can present a diagnostic challenge to the manual practitioner. This review discusses the diagnosis, imaging, and evidence based management of this tiny, but important muscle of the lower limb.

Le muscle plantaire est souvent atrophié et se présente sous une forme vestigiale, or une blessure sur cette structure doit en fait être incluse dans les considérations différentielles sur les douleurs au mollet. La blessure du muscle plantaire isolée ou associée à des blessures simultanées du genou peut présenter un défi diagnostique pour le thérapeute. Cette étude présente la gestion, fondée sur le diagnostic, l’imagerie et les preuves de ce muscle, petit mais important, du membre inférieur.

Keywords: diagnosis; muscle; plantaris.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Location of the plantaris in the popliteal fossa: a) demonstrates plantaris (P) deep to the lateral head of the gastroc b) demonstrates the plantaris (P) with the gastroc removed The plantaris is superficial to the popliteus muscle. (Published with permission from Primal Pictures © 2004)
Figure 2
Figure 2
a) Technique for palpation of the plantaris muscle. With the patient prone and the leg flexed to approximately 90 degrees, your distal hand covers the heel while your forearm is applied against the plantar aspect of the foot, allowing a simultaneous resistance to plantarflexion of the foot and flexion of the knee. b) Close up view of the plantaris muscle.
Figure 3
Figure 3
T1 weighted images of the knee indicating the plantaris muscle: a) T1 coronal image demonstrating the plantaris (normal) b) T1 axial image. (Published with permission from Primal Pictures © 2004)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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