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The Extensor Hallucis Longus is located in the Anterior Compartment of the (lower) leg. The muscles in the anterior compartment are:
- Tibialis anterior
- Extensor digitorum longus
- Extensor hallucis longus
- Fibularis tertius
ATTACHMENTS:
- Middle anterior fibula to the dorsal surface of the distal phalanx of the big toe.
- The extensor hallucis longus attaches proximally onto the middle 1/3 of the anterior fibula and middle 1/3 of the interosseus membrane.
ACTIONS:
- Extends the big toe at the metatarsophalangeal and interphalangeal joints.
- Dorsiflexes the foot at the ankle joint.
- Inverts (Supinates) the foot at the subtalar joint.
NOTES:
- The reverse/closed-chain joint action of extension of the big toe at the metatarsophalangeal joint, namely dorsiflexion/extension of the first metatarsal at the metatarsophalangeal joint, is extremely important during the toe-off phase of the gait cycle.
- Inversion is the principal cardinal-plane (frontal-plane) component of the oblique-plane motion pattern of supination.
