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Case report
Submitted: 2023-12-31
Accepted: 2024-02-29
Published online: 2024-04-26
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Never undescribed four — headed plantaris muscle

Nicol Zielinska1, Krystian Maślanka1, Andrzej Węgiel1, Konrad Kurtys1, Łukasz Olewnik1
Affiliations
  1. Department of Anatomical Dissection and Donation, Medical University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland

open access

Ahead of Print
CASE REPORTS
Submitted: 2023-12-31
Accepted: 2024-02-29
Published online: 2024-04-26

Abstract

The plantaris is a small muscle of the superficial posterior compartment of the leg. It originates at the lateral supracondylar line of the femur and the knee joint capsule, from where it continues distally, forming a long and slender tendon distally attached to the calcaneal tuberosity.

During standard anatomical dissection four-headed plantaris muscle was found and all of its heads connected to each other as a single muscle belly passing into tendinous structure which was distally attached as a standard plantaris muscle.

The first head originated from the popliteal surface of the femur. The second one was originated from distal Kaplan fiber. In turn, the third and fourth heads were proximally attached to the lateral femoral epicondyle.  

Knowledge about morphological variations is necessary because of its potential clinical significance, which means not only neurovascular compressions, but also surgical procedures.

Abstract

The plantaris is a small muscle of the superficial posterior compartment of the leg. It originates at the lateral supracondylar line of the femur and the knee joint capsule, from where it continues distally, forming a long and slender tendon distally attached to the calcaneal tuberosity.

During standard anatomical dissection four-headed plantaris muscle was found and all of its heads connected to each other as a single muscle belly passing into tendinous structure which was distally attached as a standard plantaris muscle.

The first head originated from the popliteal surface of the femur. The second one was originated from distal Kaplan fiber. In turn, the third and fourth heads were proximally attached to the lateral femoral epicondyle.  

Knowledge about morphological variations is necessary because of its potential clinical significance, which means not only neurovascular compressions, but also surgical procedures.

Get Citation

Keywords

plantaris muscle, planteris tendon, anatomical variations

About this article
Title

Never undescribed four — headed plantaris muscle

Journal

Folia Morphologica

Issue

Ahead of Print

Article type

Case report

Published online

2024-04-26

Page views

18

Article views/downloads

16

Keywords

plantaris muscle
planteris tendon
anatomical variations

Authors

Nicol Zielinska
Krystian Maślanka
Andrzej Węgiel
Konrad Kurtys
Łukasz Olewnik

References (21)
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  9. Maślanka K, Zielinska N, Paulsen F, et al. A three-headed plantaris muscle fused with Kaplan fibers: potential clinical significance. Folia Morphol (Warsz). 2023 [Epub ahead of print].
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  16. Olewnik Ł, Zielinska N, Karauda P, et al. A three-headed plantaris muscle: evidence that the plantaris is not a vestigial muscle? Surg Radiol Anat. 2020; 42(10): 1189–1193.
  17. Smędra A, Olewnik Ł, Łabętowicz P, et al. A bifurcated plantaris muscle: another confirmation of its high morphological variability? Another type of plantaris muscle. Folia Morphol. 2021; 80(3): 739–744.
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