Plantaris muscle The plantaris is one of the superficial muscles of the superficial posterior compartment of the leg, one of the fascial compartments of the leg. It is composed of a thin muscle belly and a long thin tendon. While not as thick as the achilles tendon, the plantaris tendon (which tends to be between 30 and 45 cm in length) is the longest tendon in the human body. Not including the tendon, the plantaris muscle is approximately 5–10 cm long and is absent in 8-12% of the population. It is one of the plantar flexors in the posterior compartment of the leg, along with the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles. The plantaris is considered an unimportant muscle and mainly acts with the gastrocnemius. Function] The plantaris acts to weakly plantar flex the ankle joint and flex the knee joint. The plantaris muscle may also provide proprioceptive feedback information to the central nervous system regarding the position of the foot. The unusually high density of proprioceptive receptor end organs supports this notion. Its motor function is so minimal that its long tendon can readily be harvested for reconstruction elsewhere with little functional deficit. Often mistaken for a nerve by new medical students (and thus called the \"freshman nerve\"), the muscle was useful to other primatesfor grasping with their feet.[citation needed] Clinical significance A common injury that is normally attributed to the plantaris muscle is a condition called tennis leg. Although pain in the calf can be attributed to a rupture of the plantaris muscle, recent ultrasound research has shown that tennis leg more commonly arises from tears in the musculotendinous junction of the medial gastrocnemius. In one clinical study, 94 out of 141 patients (66.7%) diagnosed with tennis leg were found with a partial rupture of the gastrocnemius muscle while rupture of the plantaris tendon was only seen in 2 patients (1.4%) Injury may occur from running, jumping, or pushing off one leg as in sports such as tennis, basketball and soccer which require quick foot movement in a certain direction. Isolated plantaris muscle strains are rare and ruptures normally occur in concurrence with injury to other muscles in the posterior compartment of the lower leg. Symptoms of a plantaris muscle rupture may include an audible popping sound in the area during physical activity, swelling, pain in the posterior side of the lower leg, and persistent soreness. It may also be painful when trying to flex the ankle Anatomy of plantaris muscle: a study in adult Indians. Abstract AIM: The plantaris muscle (PM) and its tendon is subject to considerable variation in both the points of origin and of insertion. The present study was carried out to fi nd the different types of origin, insertion and possible variations of the PM in the population of southern costal region of India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 52 embalmed (Formalin fixed) cadaver lower limbs of 26 males (age ranged 48-79 years, mean age 68 years) we.

1. Plantaris muscle
The plantaris is one of the superficial muscles of the superficial posterior compartment of the leg,
one of the fascial compartments of the leg.
It is composed of a thin muscle belly and a long thin tendon. While not as thick as the achilles
tendon, the plantaris tendon (which tends to be between 30 and 45 cm in length) is the longest
tendon in the human body. Not including the tendon, the plantaris muscle is approximately 5–10
cm long and is absent in 8-12% of the population. It is one of the plantar flexors in the posterior
compartment of the leg, along with the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles. The plantaris is
considered an unimportant muscle and mainly acts with the gastrocnemius.
Function]
The plantaris acts to weakly plantar flex the ankle joint and flex the knee joint.
The plantaris muscle may also provide proprioceptive feedback information to the central
nervous system regarding the position of the foot. The unusually high density of proprioceptive
receptor end organs supports this notion. Its motor function is so minimal that its long tendon can
readily be harvested for reconstruction elsewhere with little functional deficit. Often mistaken for
a nerve by new medical students (and thus called the "freshman nerve"), the muscle was useful
to other primatesfor grasping with their feet.[citation needed]
Clinical significance
A common injury that is normally attributed to the plantaris muscle is a condition called tennis
leg. Although pain in the calf can be attributed to a rupture of the plantaris muscle, recent
ultrasound research has shown that tennis leg more commonly arises from tears in the
musculotendinous junction of the medial gastrocnemius. In one clinical study, 94 out of 141
patients (66.7%) diagnosed with tennis leg were found with a partial rupture of the
gastrocnemius muscle while rupture of the plantaris tendon was only seen in 2 patients (1.4%)
Injury may occur from running, jumping, or pushing off one leg as in sports such as tennis,
basketball and soccer which require quick foot movement in a certain direction. Isolated plantaris
muscle strains are rare and ruptures normally occur in concurrence with injury to other muscles
in the posterior compartment of the lower leg. Symptoms of a plantaris muscle rupture may
include an audible popping sound in the area during physical activity, swelling, pain in the
posterior side of the lower leg, and persistent soreness. It may also be painful when trying to flex
the ankle
Anatomy of plantaris muscle: a study in adult Indians.
Abstract
AIM:
The plantaris muscle (PM) and its tendon is subject to considerable variation in both the points of

2. origin and of insertion. The present study was carried out to fi nd the different types of origin,
insertion and possible variations of the PM in the population of southern costal region of India.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
52 embalmed (Formalin fixed) cadaver lower limbs of 26 males (age ranged 48-79 years, mean
age 68 years) were dissected, to study the origin and insertion of PM. Various dimensions
(length and width) of plantaris muscle belly and its tendon were also measured.
RESULTS:
Three types of origin and equal number of insertion were noticed in the present study. The PM
took origin from type I: Lateral Supracondylar ridge, Capsule of Knee joint and Lateral head of
gastrocnemius in 73.07% cases; type II: Capsule of Knee joint and Lateral head of gastronemius
in 5.76% cases; type III: Lateral Supracondylar ridge , Capsule of Knee joint , Lateral head of
gastrocnemius and fibular collateral ligament in 13.46% cases. The plantaris tendon was inserted
into type I: to the flexor retinaculum of foot in 28.84% cases; type II: independently to the os
calcaneum in 36.53% cases; type III: to the tendocalcaneus at various levels in 26.92% cases. In
four lower limbs (7.69%) the plantaris muscle was completely absent. Additionally the length
and width of the plantaris muscle and its tendon were measured to know any side difference.
There were no statistically significant differences between the measurements of left and right
side (p>0.05).
CONCLUSION:
Present study will help the surgeons while attempting various surgical procedures in and around
the posterior aspect of knee involving plantaris.
Solution
Plantaris muscle
The plantaris is one of the superficial muscles of the superficial posterior compartment of the leg,
one of the fascial compartments of the leg.
It is composed of a thin muscle belly and a long thin tendon. While not as thick as the achilles
tendon, the plantaris tendon (which tends to be between 30 and 45 cm in length) is the longest
tendon in the human body. Not including the tendon, the plantaris muscle is approximately 5–10
cm long and is absent in 8-12% of the population. It is one of the plantar flexors in the posterior
compartment of the leg, along with the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles. The plantaris is
considered an unimportant muscle and mainly acts with the gastrocnemius.
Function]
The plantaris acts to weakly plantar flex the ankle joint and flex the knee joint.
The plantaris muscle may also provide proprioceptive feedback information to the central

3. nervous system regarding the position of the foot. The unusually high density of proprioceptive
receptor end organs supports this notion. Its motor function is so minimal that its long tendon can
readily be harvested for reconstruction elsewhere with little functional deficit. Often mistaken for
a nerve by new medical students (and thus called the "freshman nerve"), the muscle was useful
to other primatesfor grasping with their feet.[citation needed]
Clinical significance
A common injury that is normally attributed to the plantaris muscle is a condition called tennis
leg. Although pain in the calf can be attributed to a rupture of the plantaris muscle, recent
ultrasound research has shown that tennis leg more commonly arises from tears in the
musculotendinous junction of the medial gastrocnemius. In one clinical study, 94 out of 141
patients (66.7%) diagnosed with tennis leg were found with a partial rupture of the
gastrocnemius muscle while rupture of the plantaris tendon was only seen in 2 patients (1.4%)
Injury may occur from running, jumping, or pushing off one leg as in sports such as tennis,
basketball and soccer which require quick foot movement in a certain direction. Isolated plantaris
muscle strains are rare and ruptures normally occur in concurrence with injury to other muscles
in the posterior compartment of the lower leg. Symptoms of a plantaris muscle rupture may
include an audible popping sound in the area during physical activity, swelling, pain in the
posterior side of the lower leg, and persistent soreness. It may also be painful when trying to flex
the ankle
Anatomy of plantaris muscle: a study in adult Indians.
Abstract
AIM:
The plantaris muscle (PM) and its tendon is subject to considerable variation in both the points of
origin and of insertion. The present study was carried out to fi nd the different types of origin,
insertion and possible variations of the PM in the population of southern costal region of India.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
52 embalmed (Formalin fixed) cadaver lower limbs of 26 males (age ranged 48-79 years, mean
age 68 years) were dissected, to study the origin and insertion of PM. Various dimensions
(length and width) of plantaris muscle belly and its tendon were also measured.
RESULTS:
Three types of origin and equal number of insertion were noticed in the present study. The PM
took origin from type I: Lateral Supracondylar ridge, Capsule of Knee joint and Lateral head of
gastrocnemius in 73.07% cases; type II: Capsule of Knee joint and Lateral head of gastronemius
in 5.76% cases; type III: Lateral Supracondylar ridge , Capsule of Knee joint , Lateral head of
gastrocnemius and fibular collateral ligament in 13.46% cases. The plantaris tendon was inserted
into type I: to the flexor retinaculum of foot in 28.84% cases; type II: independently to the os

4. calcaneum in 36.53% cases; type III: to the tendocalcaneus at various levels in 26.92% cases. In
four lower limbs (7.69%) the plantaris muscle was completely absent. Additionally the length
and width of the plantaris muscle and its tendon were measured to know any side difference.
There were no statistically significant differences between the measurements of left and right
side (p>0.05).
CONCLUSION:
Present study will help the surgeons while attempting various surgical procedures in and around
the posterior aspect of knee involving plantaris.