Plantar metatarsal artery

Looks like

Four small arteries from the deep plantar arch running forward between the long bones of the sole.

What it does

Feed the deep sole muscles and continue as the digital arteries for the toes.

Keeping it well

Rarely injured alone; in diabetes these small foot arteries often narrow, which slows healing of foot sores.

Its parts

• Distal perforating artery

Related conditions

• Achilles tendon rupture
• Buerger's disease (thromboangiitis obliterans)
• Chronic venous insufficiency
• Compartment syndrome
• Growing pains
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Hypothermia & frostbite
• Kawasaki disease
• Lymphangitis
• Lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis)
• Lymphoedema
• Metabolic syndrome
• Orthostatic hypotension & POTS
• Peripheral artery disease
• Phaeochromocytoma & hyperaldosteronism
• Pre-eclampsia
• Raynaud's phenomenon
• Restless legs syndrome
• Sepsis
• Shock (circulatory failure)
• Superficial thrombophlebitis
• Varicose veins
• Vasculitis (GCA & others)
• Venomous snakebite