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MuscleLegsuperficialDraft

Fibularis longusMusculus fibularis longus

Long muscle on the outer side of the lower leg whose tendon wraps behind the outer ankle and under the foot to turn the sole outwards and support the arches.

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LatinMusculus fibularis longus
Origin
  • Head of the fibula
  • Upper two-thirds of the lateral surface of the fibula
  • Deep fascia and the septa between it and the muscles at the front and back of the leg
Insertion
  • Lateral side of the base of the first metatarsal
  • Lateral side of the medial cuneiform
Action
  • Everts the foot (turns the sole outwards)
  • Assists plantarflexion of the ankle (pointing the foot)
  • Supports the transverse and lateral arches of the foot
  • Steadies the leg over the foot, especially when standing on one leg
NerveSuperficial fibular (peroneal) nerve (L5–S1)
NameLatin fibula, 'brooch pin'; the older name peroneus comes from Greek perone, also 'pin', the name for the fibula.

Palpation

  1. Client side-lying with the leg to be worked on top, or supine with the leg slightly turned in.
  2. Find the head of the fibula on the outer side of the leg, just below the knee.
  3. Slide your fingers down the outer side of the leg from there; the muscle lies in a narrow strip along the fibula.
  4. Ask the client to turn the sole outwards and point the foot against light resistance; the muscle firms, and its tendon can be felt just behind the lateral malleolus (outer ankle bone).

Landmarks: Lateral malleolus

Fibularis longus is the more superficial of the two fibular (peroneal) muscles on the outer side of the leg. It covers most of Fibularis brevis, which lies underneath it lower down. Its long tendon runs behind the Lateral malleolus, then turns under the foot and crosses the sole to the big-toe side, so it acts like a stirrup under the arch.

In a relaxation routine, work the outer leg with the client side-lying or with the leg turned in: Effleurage from ankle to knee, then thumb Circular friction along the fibula. The common fibular nerve wraps around the neck of the fibula just below its head, so avoid firm pressure there. Clients who have rolled an ankle, or who run on uneven or sloping ground, commonly report tightness along the outer leg.

Fibularis longus turns the sole outwards, working against Tibialis anterior and Tibialis posterior, which turn it in. It is not part of the calf group that forms the Achilles (calcaneal) tendon, but it helps Gastrocnemius and Soleus point the foot.

Source notes. Nerve roots differ: Gray’s Anatomy (1918) gives L4, L5 and S1, while Wikipedia gives L5 and S1. This note uses L5–S1.

Techniques

  • Effleurage — Long, gliding strokes with the whole palm that spread the medium, warm the tissue and link the other strokes together.
  • Petrissage — Kneading strokes that compress, lift and squeeze the muscle away from the bone, working the tissue between the hands.
  • Circular friction — Small circles made with the finger or thumb pads that move the skin over the deeper tissue without sliding, to work a specific spot.
  • Compression — Pressing straight down into a muscle with the palm, fist or forearm, holding briefly, then releasing and moving on.

Works with

  • Fibularis brevis — Shorter fibular muscle lying under fibularis longus on the outer leg; it turns the sole outwards and helps point the foot.
  • Gastrocnemius — Two-headed superficial calf muscle that runs from above the knee to the heel and points the foot and helps bend the knee.
  • Soleus — Broad, flat calf muscle lying under the gastrocnemius that points the foot and keeps the body from tipping forward when standing.

Opposes

  • Tibialis anterior — Long muscle beside the shin bone that lifts the foot up (dorsiflexion) and turns the sole inwards (inversion).
  • Tibialis posterior — The deepest muscle at the back of the leg; it turns the sole inwards, helps point the foot and is a major support for the inner arch.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia: Fibularis longus
  2. Wikipedia: Superficial fibular nerve
  3. Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body (1918), Myology 8c: The Muscles and Fasciae of the Leg (archived Bartleby page) (Public domain. Attachments agree with Wikipedia. Gray gives roots L4, L5 and S1; Wikipedia gives L5 and S1.)