MUSCLES OF THE RIGHT INFERIOR LIMB 67 



with which it is intimately fused, so that it and the two heads of 

 the gastrocnemius are sometimes described as one muscle under 

 the name triceps surae. 



45. Plantaris m.: Lateral epi condyle of femur mainly; to 

 middle phalanges of all the toes. Flexes phalanges and extends 

 foot. Do not transect. This muscle lies caudad to the soleus 

 and between the heads of the gastrocnemius. Its tendon, after 

 passing mediad and then caudad to those of the triceps surae, 

 passes over the end of the heel (os calcis) and spreading on the 

 plantar region inserts into the middle phalanges of the digits. 

 In man it inserts into the os calcis with the tendons of the soleus 

 and gastrocnemius. 



46. Flexor digitorum longus m.: Caudomedial surface of 

 proximal half of tibia and fibula, mainly; to proximal ends of all 

 four of the distal phalanges. Flexes phalanges and extends 

 foot. Probe but do not transect. This muscle lies along the 

 caudal side of the leg, and its strong tendon passes mediad to 

 the OS calcis and through a groove on the caudal surface of the 

 talus (astragulus. Fig. 17) onto the plantar side of the foot where 

 it separates into four tendons, which perforate the plantaris 

 tendons before inserting into the distal phalanges. Since the 

 hallux and first metatarsal have disappeared in the rabbit, the 

 tendon of the flexor longus hallucis m. joins with the tendons of 

 the flexor longus digitorum. 



47. Tibialis anterior (tibiaHs anticus) m.: Lateral tuber- 

 osity, condyle, and anterior crest of tibia; to proximomedial end 

 of second metatarsal. Flexor of foot. Method: Slit the crural 

 fascia along the caudal margin of the biceps femoris m. then 

 down the lateral side of the crus to near the external maleolus 

 of the tibia; flex the crural fascia, with biceps attached, craniad 

 to give access to this and the next muscles. Begin probing 

 between the tibia and the muscle just proximad to the transverse 

 crural ligament. This is a superficial muscle and lies on the 

 anterolateral side of the tibia. Its tendon passes with those 

 of the extensor digitorum longus m. (49) under the transverse 

 crural (tarsal) ligament (which is similar to the annular ligament 



