Anatomy of plantaris muscle: a study in adult Indians.
OBJECTIVE
The plantaris muscle (PM) and its tendon is subject to considerable variation in both the points of origin and of insertion. The present study was carried out to fi nd the different types of origin, insertion and possible variations of the PM in the population of southern costal region of India.


METHODS
52 embalmed (Formalin fixed) cadaver lower limbs of 26 males (age ranged 48-79 years, mean age 68 years) were dissected, to study the origin and insertion of PM. Various dimensions (length and width) of plantaris muscle belly and its tendon were also measured.


RESULTS
Three types of origin and equal number of insertion were noticed in the present study. The PM took origin from type I: Lateral Supracondylar ridge, Capsule of Knee joint and Lateral head of gastrocnemius in 73.07% cases; type II: Capsule of Knee joint and Lateral head of gastronemius in 5.76% cases; type III: Lateral Supracondylar ridge , Capsule of Knee joint , Lateral head of gastrocnemius and fibular collateral ligament in 13.46% cases. The plantaris tendon was inserted into type I: to the flexor retinaculum of foot in 28.84% cases; type II: independently to the os calcaneum in 36.53% cases; type III: to the tendocalcaneus at various levels in 26.92% cases. In four lower limbs (7.69%) the plantaris muscle was completely absent. Additionally the length and width of the plantaris muscle and its tendon were measured to know any side difference. There were no statistically significant differences between the measurements of left and right side (p>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Present study will help the surgeons while attempting various surgical procedures in and around the posterior aspect of knee involving plantaris.
Nayak
S R
SR
Department of Anatomy, Kasturba Medical College, CBS, Bejai, Mangalore, Karnataka. ranjanbhatana@gmail.com
Krishnamurthy
A
A
Ramanathan
L
L
Ranade
A V
AV
Prabhu
L V
LV
Jiji
P J
PJ
Rai
R
R
Chettiar
G K
GK
Potu
B K
BK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002102:Cadaver; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000033:anatomy & histology*