<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>Plantar intrinsic muscles play a pivotal role in posture control and gait dynamics. They help maintain the longitudinal and transverse arches of the foot, and they regulate the degree and velocity of arch deformation during walking or running. Consequently, pathologies affecting the plantar intrinsic muscles (for instance, acquired and inherited neuropathies) lead to foot deformity, gait disorders, and painful syndromes. Intrinsic muscle malfunctioning is also associated with multifactorial overuse or degenerative conditions such as pes planus, hallux valgus, and plantar fasciitis. As the clinical examination of each intrinsic muscle is challenging, ultrasound is gaining a growing interest as an imaging tool to investigate the trophism of these muscular structures and the pattern of their alterations, and potentially to follow up on the effects of dedicated rehabilitation protocols. The ten plantar intrinsic muscles can be dived into three groups (medial, central and lateral) and four layers. Here, we propose a regional and landmark-based approach to the complex sonoanatomy of the plantar intrinsic muscles in order to facilitate the correct identification of each muscle from the superficial to the deepest layer. We also summarize the pathological ultrasound findings that can be encountered when scanning the plantar muscles, pointing out the patterns of alterations specific to certain conditions, such as plantar nerves mononeuropathies.</p>
</abstract>

Plantar intrinsic muscles play a pivotal role in posture control and gait dynamics. They help maintain the longitudinal and transverse arches of the foot, and they regulate the degree and velocity of arch deformation during walking or running. Consequently, pathologies affecting the plantar intrinsic muscles (for instance, acquired and inherited neuropathies) lead to foot deformity, gait disorders, and painful syndromes. Intrinsic muscle malfunctioning is also associated with multifactorial overuse or degenerative conditions such as pes planus, hallux valgus, and plantar fasciitis. As the clinical examination of each intrinsic muscle is challenging, ultrasound is gaining a growing interest as an imaging tool to investigate the trophism of these muscular structures and the pattern of their alterations, and potentially to follow up on the effects of dedicated rehabilitation protocols. The ten plantar intrinsic muscles can be dived into three groups (medial, central and lateral) and four layers. Here, we propose a regional and landmark-based approach to the complex sonoanatomy of the plantar intrinsic muscles in order to facilitate the correct identification of each muscle from the superficial to the deepest layer. We also summarize the pathological ultrasound findings that can be encountered when scanning the plantar muscles, pointing out the patterns of alterations specific to certain conditions, such as plantar nerves mononeuropathies.

Ultrasound of the plantar foot: a guide for the assessment of plantar intrinsic muscles

Journal of Ultrasonography

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Plantar intrinsic muscles play a pivotal role in posture control and gait dynamics. They help maintain the longitudinal and transverse arches of the foot, and...

Ultrasound of the plantar foot: a guide for the assessment of plantar intrinsic muscles

Article Category: Review paper

Publié en ligne: 11 sept. 2023

Pages: e151 - e160

Reçu: 01 avr. 2023

Accepté: 29 mai 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15557/jou.2023.0024

Mots clés
hallux valgus, plantar, fasciitis, muscular atrophy, ultrasonography

© 2023 Federico Zaottini et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Ultrasound of the plantar foot: a guide for the assessment of plantar intrinsic muscles

Article Category: Review paper

Publié en ligne: 11 sept. 2023

Pages: e151 - e160

Reçu: 01 avr. 2023

Accepté: 29 mai 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15557/jou.2023.0024

Mots cléshallux valgus, plantar, fasciitis, muscular atrophy, ultrasonography

© 2023 Federico Zaottini et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Mots clés
hallux valgus, plantar, fasciitis, muscular atrophy, ultrasonography