Dorsalis pedis artery
Arteria dorsalis pedis
Also known as: dorsal artery of the foot
The dorsalis pedis artery continues the anterior tibial artery onto the dorsum of the foot at the ankle joint. Its pulse is felt just lateral to the tendon of extensor hallucis longus.
Overview
The dorsalis pedis artery begins in front of the ankle joint, midway between the malleoli. It runs forward over the talus, navicular and intermediate cuneiform toward the first intermetatarsal space. The extensor hallucis longus tendon lies on its medial side, and the deep fibular nerve and the extensor digitorum longus tendons lie on its lateral side.
At the back of the first intermetatarsal space it dives into the sole as the deep plantar artery, which joins the lateral plantar artery to complete the deep plantar arch.
The dorsalis pedis pulse cannot be felt in a minority of healthy people. Doppler studies suggest the artery itself is congenitally absent in about 2%. So a missing dorsalis pedis pulse on its own is less reliable than a missing posterior tibial pulse.
Anatomy
- Branches
The medial and lateral tarsal arteries, the arcuate artery (which gives the dorsal metatarsal arteries to toes 2–5), the first dorsal metatarsal artery, and the deep plantar artery.
Function
- Supplies the dorsum of the foot and the toes, and helps complete the deep plantar arch.
Clinical significance
Pedal pulses in vascular assessment
Feeling the dorsalis pedis and posterior tibial pulses, and measuring the ankle–brachial index, are the basic checks for peripheral arterial disease and for the diabetic foot. In diabetes the arteries are often stiffened by calcium in their middle layer (Mönckeberg sclerosis). They cannot be compressed by the cuff, so the ankle–brachial index can read falsely high.
Compiled from standard anatomy and physiology references — see the Cardiovascular System sources. For education only; not medical advice.