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MuscleLegsuperficialDraft

Tibialis anteriorMusculus tibialis anterior

Long muscle beside the shin bone that lifts the foot up (dorsiflexion) and turns the sole inwards (inversion).

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LatinMusculus tibialis anterior
Origin
  • Lateral condyle and upper half to two-thirds of the lateral surface of the tibia
  • Adjoining part of the interosseous membrane
  • Deep surface of the overlying fascia and the septum between it and extensor digitorum longus
Insertion
  • Medial and under surface of the medial cuneiform
  • Base of the first metatarsal
Action
  • Dorsiflexes the ankle (lifts the foot and toes towards the shin)
  • Inverts the foot (turns the sole inwards)
  • Supports the inner (medial) arch of the foot
  • Controls lowering of the foot after the heel strikes the ground in walking
NerveDeep fibular (peroneal) nerve (L4–L5)
NameLatin tibia, 'shin bone' (originally 'flute'), and anterior, 'in front'.

Palpation

  1. Client supine with the leg straight and the ankle resting over a small bolster or the end of the table.
  2. Find the sharp front edge of the tibia (the shin), then slide your fingers just off it to the outer side.
  3. Feel the thick, firm muscle running down the upper two-thirds of the shin, becoming a cord-like tendon lower down.
  4. Ask the client to pull the foot up and in against light resistance on the top of the foot; the tendon stands out at the front of the ankle, towards the big-toe side.

Landmarks: Tibial tuberosity · Medial malleolus

Tibialis anterior is the main muscle on the front of the lower leg. It lies just outside the shin bone, which has almost no muscle cover of its own, so work the muscle and avoid pressing directly on the bone. In an Anterior lower limb — 20 min routine, glide up the muscle with Effleurage, then use thumb Circular friction along its length.

It is the strongest muscle for lifting the foot. When you walk, it stops the foot slapping down after the heel lands and then lifts the toes clear of the ground. Walkers, runners (especially downhill) and people who have increased their training quickly commonly report tenderness along the shin.

Tibialis anterior works against the calf muscles, Gastrocnemius and Soleus, which point the foot. It shares the inversion action with Tibialis posterior but opposes Fibularis longus and Fibularis brevis, which turn the sole outwards.

Source notes. Nerve roots differ between sources: Gray’s Anatomy (1918) gives L4, L5 and S1 for the whole front-of-leg group, Wikipedia’s infobox gives L5, and its text mentions L4. This note uses L4–L5. Wikipedia’s text leaves out the origin from the lateral condyle of the tibia that Gray includes.

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.
  • Passive stretching — The therapist gently moves a relaxed limb to lengthen a muscle to a point of mild stretch and holds it there, with no effort from the client.

Works with

  • Extensor digitorum longus — Feather-shaped muscle on the outer front of the lower leg that lifts the four small toes and helps lift the foot.
  • Extensor hallucis longus — Thin muscle on the front of the lower leg, partly hidden by its neighbours, that lifts the big toe and helps lift the foot.
  • 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.

Opposes

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Fibularis brevis — Shorter fibular muscle lying under fibularis longus on the outer leg; it turns the sole outwards and helps point the foot.

Used in routines

Sources

  1. Wikipedia: Tibialis anterior muscle
  2. Wikipedia: Deep 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. Gray calls dorsiflexion 'flexion of the foot'. Roots differ from Wikipedia; see the note body.)