Adductor hallucis muscle

Adductor hallucis muscle
Muscles of the sole of the foot. Third layer. (Oblique head visible at center, and transverse head visible at bottom.
Latin	musculus adductor hallucis
Gray's	subject #131 493
Origin	Oblique Head: proximal ends of middle 3 metatarsal bones; Transverse Head: MTP ligaments of middle 3 toes
Insertion	lateral side of base of first phalanx of the 1st toe
Artery	Lateral plantar artery
Nerve	Lateral plantar nerve
Actions	adducts hallux
Antagonist	Abductor hallucis muscle

The Adductor hallucis (Adductor obliquus hallucis) arises by two heads—oblique and transverse and is responsible for adducting the big toe. It is innervated by the lateral plantar nerve.

It evolved from the contrahens I muscle as Man's ancestors' thumbs and big toes became opposable.

Oblique head

The oblique head is a large, thick, fleshy mass, crossing the foot obliquely and occupying the hollow space under the first, second, third and fourth metatarsal bones.

It arises from the bases of the second, third, and fourth metatarsal bones, and from the sheath of the tendon of the Peronæus longus, and is inserted, together with the lateral portion of the Flexor hallucis brevis, into the lateral side of the base of the first phalanx of the great toe.

Transverse head

The transverse head (Transversus pedis) is a narrow, flat fasciculus which arises from the plantar metatarsophalangeal ligaments of the third, fourth, and fifth toes (sometimes only from the third and fourth), and from the transverse ligament of the metatarsus.

It is inserted into the lateral side of the base of the first phalanx of the great toe, its fibers blending with the tendon of insertion of the oblique head.

Variations

Slips to the base of the first phalanx of the second toe. Opponens hallucis, occasional slips from the adductor to the metatarsal bone of the great toe.

Additional images

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  Bones of the right foot. Plantar surface.

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External links

• LUC adhf
• -946208691 at GPnotebook
• SUNY Labs 16:st-0403 - oblique head
• SUNY Labs 16:st-0404 - transverse head
• Adductor+hallucis at eMedicine Dictionary
• PTCentral

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.