Abductor Digiti Minimi (Foot)

Description[edit | edit source]

Abductor digiti minimi

It is a small, unipennate muscle situated on the lateral foot compartment on the sole of the lateral border of the foot[1] [2] with muscle volume of 18.73+ 3.39 cm3 and it is correlated with foot ball circumference and Instep circumference (the total perimeter of the longitudinal section of 55% of total foot length)[3].

It is considered as moderate sized intrinsic foot muscle according to its physiological cross sectional area and fiber length that are proportional to force generation ability and shortening velocity respectively[4]. It has similar position, function and name to abductor digiti minimi of hand, but for the little toe of the foot.

Origin[edit | edit source]

Lateral and medial processes of calcaneal tuberosity[1][5], plantar aponeurosis[1] and intermuscular septum[5]

Insertion[edit | edit source]

Lateral side of base of proximal phalanx of fifth toe[1][5]

Nerve[edit | edit source]

Lateral plantar nerve(S1-S3) from tibial nerve[1][5]

Artery[edit | edit source]

Supplied by the lateral plantar artery[1][5]

Function[edit | edit source]

Abducts 5th toe at metatarsophalangeal joint[1][5] and supports the longitudinal arch of the foot[1].

[6]

Clinical relevance[edit | edit source]

In rare conditions, the muscle may be bifid. The additional belly can be used as a flap in reconstructive surgery of the foot[7][8] and may be involved in Baxter neuropathy[7][5]. It can show activity imbalance in chronic ankle instability[9].

Resources[edit | edit source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 MD, J.V. (2023) Abductor digiti minimi muscle of Foot, Kenhub. Kenhub. Available at: https://www.kenhub.com/en/library/anatomy/abductor-digiti-minimi-muscle (Accessed: April 23, 2023).
  2. Vazquez-Zorrilla D, Millan-Alanis JM, Alvarez-Villalobos NA, Elizondo-Omaña RE, Guzman-Lopez S, Vilchez-Cavazos JF, et al. Anatomy of foot Compartments: a systematic review. Annals of Anatomy - Anatomischer Anzeiger. 2020 May;229:151465.
  3. Kusagawa Y, Kurihara T, Maeo S, Sugiyama T, Kanehisa H, Isaka T. Associations of muscle volume of individual human plantar intrinsic foot muscles with morphological profiles of the foot. Journal of Anatomy. 2022 Aug 24;241(6). ‌
  4. Kusagawa Y, Kurihara T, Sumiaki Maeo, Sugiyama T, Hiroaki Kanehisa, Tadao Isaka. A classification of the plantar intrinsic foot muscles based on the physiological cross-sectional area and muscle fiber length in healthy young adult males. Journal of Foot and Ankle Research. 2023 Nov 11;16(1).
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 Knipe, H. (2021) Abductor digiti minimi muscle (foot): Radiology reference article, Radiopaedia Blog RSS. Radiopaedia.org. Available at: https://radiopaedia.org/articles/abductor-digiti-minimi-muscle-foot (Accessed: April 23, 2023).
  6. Kenhub - Learn Human Anatomy. Functions of the lateral plantar muscles of the foot (preview) - Human 3D Anatomy | Kenhub. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcX2xZ9QIHg [last accessed 31/3/2020]
  7. 7.0 7.1 Sa Das, Rakesh suri, V Kapur Clinical importance of bifid Abductor Digiti Minimi muscle of the foot. Research Gate June 2003
  8. Shirol SS, Nimbaragi G, Prabhu M, Ratkal J. Abductor digiti minimi muscle flap in reconstruction of diabetic foot ulcers: A case series. European Journal of Plastic Surgery. 2014 Apr;37:227-32.
  9. Yutaro Hyodo, Takumi Jiroumaru, Kida N, Michio Wachi, Nomura S, Kuroda M, et al. Elucidation of abductor digiti minimi activity in chronic ankle instability. Journal of Physical Therapy Science. 2022 Jan 1;34(3):242–6.