What is unique about the plantaris muscle?

The long, thin tendon of plantaris is nicknamed the freshman’s nerve, as it is often mistaken for a nerve by first-year medical students during dissection. This muscle is believed to be an accessory muscle and only vestigial in humans, and that it might be absent in 7 to 20% of individuals.

What is the origin of plantaris muscle?

The muscle originates from the lateral supracondylar line of the femur just superior and medial to the lateral head of the gastrocnemius muscle as well as from the oblique popliteal ligament in the posterior aspect of the knee.

What is the origin and insertion of plantaris?

Plantaris is long, thin muscle extending behind the knee and into the sural region (calf) of the posterior leg….Plantaris muscle.

Origin	Lateral supracondylar line of femur, oblique popliteal ligament of knee
Insertion	Posterior surface of calcaneus (via calcaneal tendon)

What does the plantaris look like?

The plantaris muscle (PM) is a small, thin, and spindle-shaped muscle (1.5 x 7-13 cm in length) located in the posterosuperior aspect of the lower leg(1,2). The PM appears as a vestigial muscle, which is absent in 7-20% of limbs(3,4).

What artery supplies plantaris?

The medial plantar artery (internal plantar artery), much smaller than the lateral plantar artery, passes forward along the medial side of the foot….

Medial plantar artery
Source	Posterior tibial artery
Supplies	Sole
Identifiers
Latin	Arteria plantaris medialis

What is plantaris tendon used for?

1 The course of the plantaris muscle/tendon unit. The musculotendinous unit of the plantaris crosses both the knee and ankle contributing to plantar flexion of the ankle if the foot is free, or flexion of the knee if the foot is fixed. It is primarily active during plantar flexion when the knee is in full extension.

What causes plantaris muscle rupture?

Commonly called Tennis leg, a tear or rupture of the plantaris involves the plantaris muscle and possibly the medial head or inside of the gastrocnemius muscle which is the larger of the two calf muscles. Injuries are usually the result of a sudden muscular action such as reaching out for a tennis shot.

Where is the plantaris muscle located?

The plantaris starts just above the lateral head of the gastrocnemius muscle and runs beneath the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles located near the inner (medial border) of the Achilles tendon and attaches to the medial side of the Calcaneus (heel bone).

How do you treat a plantaris injury?

The initial treatment of a plantaris injury is with the usual R.I.C.E. (rest, ice, compression, elevation) treatments. If the pain is significant, patients may require a brief time of immobilization or crutch use to allow the pain to subside.

What does a torn plantaris muscle feel like?

Symptoms of plantaris tendon rupture include sudden pain, swelling, and limping close to the Achilles tendons. In some cases, plantaris tendon tear occurs in the mid-calf mimicking a calf muscle tear. Often, we use ultrasound or MRI to make a diagnosis of a complete plantaris tendon rupture.

How long does it take for a plantaris tendon to heal?

With conservative treatment, symptoms will gradually resolve over the course of several weeks, although a full recovery may take up to eight weeks depending on the severity of the injury.

What causes pain in plantaris muscle?

How do you heal a plantaris muscle?

Ice and compression. Soft tissue manipulation and massage to directly stimulate repair. Elastic support (e.g., ACE, TEDs stocking, Tubigrip) from foot to knee. Patient can use crutches in the early phase if weight bearing is painful.