THE LOWER EXTREMITY, POSTERIOR. 643 



a junction with the communicating branch of the dorsal 

 pedis and so completes the plantar arch. The artery is 

 accompanied by two venae comites and the external plantar 

 nerve. 



Branches of the External Plantar Artery. 



(1) Muscular, numerous small branches to the near-by 

 muscles. 



(2) Calcanean (internal), two or three branches to the 

 inner side of the os calcis. 



(3) Cutaneous, to the integument along the outer border 

 of the sole. 



(4) Anastomotic, pass over the outer border of the foot 

 to anastomose with the external malleolar, tarsal and meta- 

 tarsal branches upon the dorsum of the foot. 



All these branches come off the artery before it turns 

 inward to form the plantar arch. 



From the plantar arch arise the following : 



(5) Articular, pass backward to the joints of the tarsus. 



(6) Posterior perforating, three, which ascend through 

 the back part of the three outer interosseous spaces and 

 anastomose on the dorsum of the foot with the dorsal in- 

 terosseous arteries (branches of the metatarsal artery. See 

 page 596). 



(7) Digital branches. Four in number ; arise from the 

 front of the arch, (a) The first digital, from the beginning 

 of the arch at the base of the fifth metatarsal bone, to the 

 outer side of the little toe, crossing in its course the flexor 

 brevis, and the adductor minimi digiti muscles, (ti) (c) 

 and (</) The second, third, and fourth digital arteries 

 pass forward upon the interossei muscles through the mid- 

 dle of the fourth, third and second interosseous spaces to 

 the web of the toes where each divides into two collateral 

 digital branches to the adjacent sides of the toes, (e) (/) 



