Skip to content
Epomedicine
Epomedicine

Mnemonics, Simplified Concepts & Thoughts

  • Medical Students
  • Bedside Clinics
  • Case Reports
  • Emergency Medicine
  • Blog
  • Surgical Skills
  • Medical Mnemonics
Epomedicine

Mnemonics, Simplified Concepts & Thoughts

Foot muscles – Layers and Compartments

Epomedicine, Sep 3, 2020Sep 3, 2020

Last updated on September 3, 2020

Deep to the plantar fascia, muscles of plantar foot exist in 4 different layers. Extensor digitorum brevis makes dorsal layer of foot and remaining 18 muscles and 4 tendons make the 4 layers of plantar aspect or sole of foot.

In general:

  • Layer 1 and 3: 3 muscles each that contains intrinisc abductors, flexors and adductors
  • Layer 2 and 4: 2 muscles and 2 tendons that contains lumbricals and interossei

From superficial to deep, the layers are:

a. First layer

Mnemonic: Abs Flex Abs

  • Abductor hallucis
  • Flexor digitorum brevis (comparable to FDS of hand – both are superficial and insert into middle phalanx)
  • Abductor digiti minimii

b. Second layer

Mnemonic: Quadratus Lumborum OR you can also remember it with Flexor digitorum longus (comparable to FDP of hand – deeper and attaches to distal phalanx and the 2 muscles that attaches to FDL)

  • Quadratus plantae (Flexor digitorum accessorius)
  • Lumbricals (4)

Both of these muscles have attachment to the Flexor Digitorum Longus (FDL).

It also has 2 tendons of extrinsic muscles: Flexor digitorum longus (FDL) and Flexor hallucis longus (FHL).

It also has medial and lateral plantar nervers which are the terminal branches of tibial nerve.

c. Third layer

Mnemonic: Flex Add Flex (Opposite of first layer)

  • Flexor hallucis brevis
  • Adductor hallucis (like in hand, it has 2 heads – transverse and oblique)
  • Flexor digiti minimi

Both the flexor hallucis longus and brevis muscles have lateral origin, i.e. (distal fibula and cuboid/lateral cuneiform respectively) although they insert medially (towards great toe).

d. Fourth layer

Mnemonic: 4DAB and 3 PAD

  • 4 Dorsal interossei: ABduct MTP joint
  • 3 Plantar interossei: ADduct MTP joint
  • 2 tendons of extrinsic muscles: Peroneus longus and Tibialis posterior

9 compartments of foot

Please refer to an anatomy atlas and visualize for better understanding.

13 shares
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
PGMEE, MRCS, USMLE, MBBS, MD/MS AnatomyMusculoskeletal systemOrthopedics

Post navigation

Previous post
Next post

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Epomedicine. Foot muscles – Layers and Compartments [Internet]. Epomedicine; 2020 Sep 3 [cited 2025 May 10]. Available from: https://epomedicine.com/medical-students/foot-muscles-layers-compartments/.

Pre-clinical (Basic Sciences)

Anatomy

Biochemistry

Community medicine (PSM)

Embryology

Microbiology

Pathology

Pharmacology

Physiology

Clinical Sciences

Anesthesia

Dermatology

Emergency medicine

Forensic

Internal medicine

Gynecology & Obstetrics

Oncology

Ophthalmology

Orthopedics

Otorhinolaryngology (ENT)

Pediatrics

Psychiatry

Radiology

Surgery

RSS Ask Epomedicine

  • What to study for Clinical examination in Orthopedics?
  • What is the mechanism of AVNRT?

Epomedicine weekly

  • About Epomedicine
  • Contact Us
  • Author Guidelines
  • Submit Article
  • Editorial Board
  • USMLE
  • MRCS
  • Thesis
©2025 Epomedicine . All rights reserved.