Flexor Digitorum Longus Communis (Pedis)

The deep portion of this muscle may provide slips to a variable number of digital tendons of the long flexor, most commonly to those of the second, third, and fourth toes. The tendon to the second toe may be absent and replaced by a tendon from flexor hallucis longus. A slip is sometimes provided to the fifth toe, replacing the tendon from the short flexor. Another slip passes to the tendinous connection between the tendon of flexor hallucis longus and that of flexor digitorum longus. Rarely, a slip joins the tendon of the great toe itself, and the muscle has been seen to end entirely on this tendon.

The lateral head is often missing and sometimes the whole muscle is absent. The muscle may have an accessory head arising from the tibia, fibula, calcaneus, tibialis posterior, or flexor hallucis longus.

Another accessory head arising from the crural fascia may split to join both flexor digitorum longus and flexor hallucis longus. Flexor digitorum longus itself has been found with a second long head from the fibula (Gies). It has been seen united with the usual head, and either forming a complete or partial substitute for the caro quadrata (quadratus plantae). An accessory long slip from the tibialis anticus was seen by Gies, joining the rest of the muscle at the ankle. A second long flexor, either parallel and attached to the ordinary muscle, or to the accessorius, is described by Otto, Meckel, Hall, and Reinhardt. Union has been described between the muscular parts of the flexor digitorum, and flexor hallucis. A second or superficial head has been seen going from the fascia of the leg to the long flexor. Another from the accessorius ad flexorem arose from the lateral condyle of the tibia, ended in a long tendon like that of plantaris, and was inserted into the flexor behind the os calcis.

Flexor digiti secundi proprius was found by Bahnsen as a semipenniform muscle from the back of the tibia. An accessory head of flexor digitorum longus , which crossed the posterior tibial artery was described by Glaser (1866). See also Flexor hallucis longus.

Syn.; m. Flexor digitorum pedis longus, Flexor digitorum communis longus, Flexor digitorum communis perforans, Flexor digitorum communis profundus, Flexor longus digitorum pedis.

Riferimenti dell’opera originale

Elenco riportato come compare nella fonte, senza normalizzazione dei formati bibliografici.

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