Muscles of the Leg that Move the Foot and Toes

The lower leg muscles are divided into three compartments: anterior, lateral, and posterior. The anterior compartment contains muscles that dorsiflex the foot, the lateral compartment houses muscles that plantar flex and evert the foot, and the posterior compartment is split into superficial and deep layers with muscles that primarily plantar flex the foot and flex the toes.

The tibialis anterior, extensor hallucis longus, extensor digitorum longus, and fibularis tertius muscles comprise the anterior compartment. The tibialis anterior, the thickest muscle along the tibia's lateral surface, dorsiflex the foot. The tibialis anterior also inverts the foot, while the fibularis tertius everts it. The extensor muscles extend the great toe and other toes respectively.

The fibularis longus and fibularis brevis muscles in the lateral compartment plantar flex and evert the foot. The fibularis longus is longer and more superficial, originating from the head and upper fibula, while the fibularis brevis lies beneath it and originates from the lower two-thirds of the fibula. Both muscles work together to control foot movement and positioning.

The Achilles tendon, the body's most robust tendon, attaches the superficial posterior calf muscles—gastrocnemius, soleus, and plantaris—to the calcaneal bone of the ankle. These muscles share this common tendon and enable plantar flexion. The size and strength of these posterior compartment muscles contribute to human upright stance.

The deep posterior compartment contains the popliteus, tibialis posterior, flexor digitorum longus, and flexor hallucis longus. Most deep muscles plantar flex the foot, but the popliteus uniquely medially rotates the tibia. The tibialis posterior supinates the foot, while the flexor muscles flex the great toe and other toes respectively.

Shin splints, or medial tibial stress syndrome, result from overuse and repetitive stress of the anterior compartment muscles, commonly affecting runners and dancers. Prevention includes regular stretching, strength training, and choosing appropriate footwear to reduce stress on the tibialis anterior and surrounding muscles.

Despite flexing only the great toe at the interphalangeal joint, the flexor hallucis longus is larger than the flexor digitorum longus, which flexes the other four toes. This size difference reflects the functional demands and biomechanical importance of controlling the great toe during movement and weight-bearing activities.