Plantaris muscle injury: evaluation with MR imaging.

Abstract

Rupture of the plantaris muscle may occur at the myotendinous junction with or without an associated hematoma or partial tear of the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle. A strain of the more proximal plantaris muscle may also occur as an isolated injury or in conjunction with injury to the ACL.

A Morphological Study of Plantaris Muscle and Its Surgical Perspective

“…All the specimens presented with plantaris muscle were having single muscle only with no double or accessory muscle. The myotendinous junction was found at the level of origin of the soleus muscle which coincides with the findings of Helms et al 1995 [5]. In all the limbs studied the nerve supply to the plantaris muscle was by tibial nerve only.…”

“…iii) isolated plantaris tendon rupture [5][6][7] and also due to its role in the complicated mechanism of movements at the knee joint (because of its occasional attachment to Lateral Patellar Ligament and posterior aspect of the capsule of the knee joint) are in the list. Cruveilhier first proposed the muscle to be a vestige in man, believing that as our evolutionary ancestors assumed an erect posture, the plantaris lost its original attachment to the bottom of the foot (plantar aponeurosis) and gained a secondary attachment to the calcaneum bone of the heel [8].…”

Plantaris Rupture: A Mimic of Deep Venous Thrombosis

“…This vestigial muscle is absent in approximately 7-10% of the population and has been proposed to assist the larger plantar flexors of the foot with proprioception due to its high density of muscle spindles (1,2). The plantaris originates on the posterosuperior head of the lateral femoral condyle, travels superficially and inserts medially on the Achilles tendon or calcaneus.…”

Muscles and Tendons

“…Rupture of the plantaris muscle usually occurs at the myotendinous junction with or without an associated hematoma. A proximal injury of the plantaris muscle may occur as an isolated injury after a forceful contraction of the muscle, but in most of the cases, it is accompanied by partial tear of the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle, tear of the anterior cruciate ligament, or posterolateral corner injuries [ 29 ].…”