Top

Published in:

Open Access 01-10-2020 | Anatomic Variations

A three-headed plantaris muscle: evidence that the plantaris is not a vestigial muscle?

Authors: Łukasz Olewnik, N. Zielinska, P. Karauda, R. Shane Tubbs, M. Polguj

Published in: Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy | Issue 10/2020

Abstract

The plantaris is a small muscle that typically 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. However, considerable controversy surrounds the status of this seemingly inconspicuous muscle: is it a residual muscle, or one that it is just developing? In addition, both the proximal and distal attachments are highly morphologically variable. These variations can lead to many diseases. Interestingly, the course of the PM tendon is also variable. The present case study presents a new description of a complex origin type and a rare course of the PM tendon. Understanding of the PM and its tendon has clear clinical value and is a significant indicator of the development of interest in this overlooked muscle.

Aragão JA, Reis FP, Guerra DR, Cabral RH (2010) The occurrence of the plantaris muscle and its muscle-tendon relationship in adult human cadavers. Int J Morphol 28:255–258. https://doi.org/10.4067/s0717-95022010000100037 CrossRef

Chudzinski T (1882) Contributions a l’etude des variations musculaires dans les races humaines. Rev d’Anthropologie 5:280–308

Daselar E, Anson B (1943) The plantaris muscle: an anatomical study of 750 specimens. J Bone Jt Surg Am 25:822–827

Le Double A (1897) Traité des variations du système musculaire de l’homme et de leur signification au point de vue de l’anthropologie zoologique. Schleicher frères, Paris

Featherstone T (1995) MRI diagnosis of accessory soleus muscle strain. Br J Sports Med 29:277–278. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsm.29.4.277 CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Flower JM (1931) Note on an accessory soleus muscle. J Anat 65:548–549PubMedPubMedCentral

Freeman AJ, Jacobson NA, Fogg QA (2008) Anatomical variations of the plantaris muscle and a potential role in patellofemoral pain syndrome. Clin Anat 21:178–181. https://doi.org/10.1002/ca.20594 CrossRefPubMed

Garnier C, Villemin F (1909) Muscles soléaires accessoires chez l’homme. Bibliog Anat Par Nancy 1:277–285

Gonera B, Kurtys K, Karauda P, Olewnik PM (2020) Possible effect of morphological variations of plantaris muscle tendon on harvesting at reconstruction surgery-case report. Surg Radiol Anat. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-020-02463-1 CrossRefPubMed

10.

Harvey FJ, Chu G, Harvey PM (1983) Surgical availability of the plantaris tendon. J Hand Surg Am 8:243–247. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0363-5023(83)80151-8 CrossRefPubMed

11.

Joshi MM, Joshi SD, Joshi SS (2014) Morphological variations of muscle plantaris: anatomical and clinical insight. Int J Anat Res 2:621–624. https://doi.org/10.16965/ijar.2014.508 CrossRef

12.

Kalniev MA, Krastev DS, Krastev NS, Apostolov AM, Mileva MM (2014) An unusual variation of an additional plantaris originating from the soleus—a histological examination. Int J Adv Res Biol Sci 1:53–58. https://doi.org/10.21474/ijar01 CrossRef

13.

Kurtys K, Gonera B, Olewnik KP, Polguj M (2020) A highly complex variant of the plantaris tendon insertion and its potential clinical relevance. Anat Sci Int. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12565-020-00540-4 CrossRefPubMed

14.

Kwinter D, Lagrew J, Lawrence C et al (2010) Unilateral double plantaris muscle: a rare anatomical variation. Int J Morphol 28:1097–1099CrossRef

15.

Moore K, Dalley A (2006) Lower limb clinically oriented anatomy. Wilkins, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, Philadelphia

16.

Motto S, Holloway G (1996) The accessory soleus muscle. Br J Sports Med 30:185CrossRef

17.

Nayak SR, Krishnamurthy A, Ramanathan L, Ranade AV, Prabhu LV, Jiji PJ, Rai R, Chettiar GK, Potu BK (2010) Anatomy of plantaris muscle: a study in adult Indians. Clin Ter 161:249–252PubMed

18.

Olewnik Ł (2019) Fibularis tertius: anatomical study and review of the literature. Clin Anat 32:1082–1093. https://doi.org/10.1002/ca.23449 CrossRefPubMed

19.

Olewnik Ł, Gonera B, Podgórski M, Polguj M, Jezierski H, Topol M (2019) A proposal for a new classification of pes anserinus morphology. Knee Surg Sport Traumatol Arthrosc 27:2984–2993. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-018-5318-3 CrossRef

20.

Olewnik Ł, Karauda P, Gonera B, Kurtys K, Haładaj R, Tubbs RS, Paulsen F, Ramón Sanudo J, Polguj M (2020) Intramuscular innervation of plantaris muscle evaluated using a modified Sihler’s staining protocol—proposal for a new classification. Ann Anat Anat Anzeiger. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aanat.2020.151504 CrossRef

21.

Olewnik Ł, Kurtys K, Gonera B, Podgórski M, Sibiński M, Polguj M (2020) Proposal for a new classification of plantaris muscle origin and its potential effect on the knee joint. Ann Anat Anat Anzeiger. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aanat.2020.151506 CrossRef

22.

Olewnik L, Wysiadecki G, Podgórski M, Polguj M, Topol M (2018) The plantaris muscle tendon and its relationship with the Achilles tendinopathy. Biomed Res Int 2018:1–2. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/9623579 CrossRef

23.

Olewnik Ł, Wysiadecki G, Polguj M, Topol M (2017) Anatomic study suggests that the morphology of the plantaris tendon may be related to Achilles tendonitis. Surg Radiol Anat 39:69–75. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-016-1682-1 CrossRefPubMed

24.

Olewnik PM, Polguj M, Topol M (2018) The plantaris muscle—rare relations to the neurovascular bundle in the popliteal fossa. Folia Morphol 77:785–788. https://doi.org/10.5603/FM.a2018.0039 CrossRef

25.

Olewnik WG, Polguj M, Topol M (2017) The report on the co-occurrence of two different rare anatomic variations of the plantaris muscle tendon on both sides of an individual. Folia Morphol 76:331–333. https://doi.org/10.5603/FM.a2016.0069 CrossRef

26.

Rana KK, Das S, Verma R (2006) Double plantaris muscle: a cadaveric study with clinical importance. Int J Morphol 24:495–498. https://doi.org/10.4067/s0717-95022006000400032 CrossRef

27.

Rohilla S, Jain N, Yadav R (2013) Plantaris rupture: why is it important? Case Rep. https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2012-007840 CrossRef

28.

Simpson SL, Hertzog MS, Barja RH (1991) The plantaris tendon graft: an ultrasound study. J Hand Surg Am 16:708–711. https://doi.org/10.1016/0363-5023(91)90198-K CrossRefPubMed

29.

Soni S, Saxena A, Ghulyani T, Rani-Das A (2014) A biceps plantaris in the popliteal region—case report. Eur J Anat 18:32–33

30.

Srimani P, Meyur R, De Bose A, Kundu B, Sadhu A (2014) Unilateral variation of plantaris muscle: a case report. J Evol Med Dent Sci 3:618–622CrossRef

31.

Van Sterkenburg MN, Kerkhoffs GMMJ, Kleipool RP, Niek Van Dijk C (2011) The plantaris tendon and a potential role in mid-portion Achilles tendinopathy: an observational anatomical study. J Anat 218:336–341. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7580.2011.01335.x CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

32.

Testut L (1884) Les anomalies musculaires chez l’homme: expliquées par l’anatomie comparée leur importance en anthropologie. G. Masson, Paris

33.

Upasna KA (2011) Bicipital origin of plantaris muscle—a case report. Int J Anat Var 4:177–179

Title: A three-headed plantaris muscle: evidence that the plantaris is not a vestigial muscle?
Authors: Łukasz Olewnik
N. Zielinska
P. Karauda
R. Shane Tubbs
M. Polguj
Publication date: 01-10-2020
Publisher: Springer Paris
Published in: Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy / Issue 10/2020
Print ISSN: 0930-1038
Electronic ISSN: 1279-8517
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-020-02478-8

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

A three-headed plantaris muscle: evidence that the plantaris is not a vestigial muscle?

Abstract

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 10/2020

Case report and review of the potential role of the Type A piriformis muscle in dynamic sciatic nerve entrapment variant of piriformis syndrome

Gender difference in bowing of the sagittal femoral morphology measurement using magnetic resonance imaging

Accessory anterolateral talar facet: analysis of the morphologic features on MRI

Morphological characteristics of the lateral ankle ligament complex

Retro-psoas muscle vermiform appendix: an unusual location

Correlation between notch width index assessed via magnetic resonance imaging and risk of anterior cruciate ligament injury: an updated meta-analysis